Twisted Intentions
by Eros the Summoner
Summary: Noxus is in dire need of a leg up on Demacia, in their struggle, they have developed a weapon powered by Void energy. Their efforts now reside in Leblanc who must discover the location of the mystical Icathia in order to power the device. Her only road block is there's only one man who knows of its whereabouts. Malzahar. T for language, might have to update that though...
1. Orders

**Hi again Summoners! Okay, this the the beginning of my MalzaharxLeblanc fic, not the most popular ship, but I like it. Anywho I'm only releasing the first two chapters to make sure everything is in shape. How the characters are portrayed, if their interactions are believable. I got a some very well written views for my first story, so I'm going to try and re-write a TeemoxTristana, because... Somebody needs to do that couple justice. If you check my profile I'm going to put a full list of the pairings I hope to write in the future, and enjoy this... Hopefully...**

"Malzahar stop!" She cried out to him, but his feet did not cease their endless march across the scorching sands. His clothes were weathered and torn, his legs quaked from over exhaustion, his skin was burned and his eyes were dazed. "Please," she begged. "Just stop." But he did not respond, he simply kept walking, his purpose unknown, even to him. The voice kept calling him, it would not cease, and he needed to discover its origin, lest it torment him forever. "Malzahar!" She cried one final time before the sands kicked up a veil of dirt and Malzahar was gone.

….

The moon hung over Noxus, full and luminescent and only a few people were walking the on the winter night. It was quiet, peaceful, or at least it was on the surface, but there are those who knew better. Leblanc let go of another breath, her breath visible in the cold air, she sat on the small balcony connected to her bed chambers and stared across the city. It was almost pretty in its current state, lanterns decorating the landscape, stars painting the sky. Noxus didn't celebrate holidays, but if it did, now would be a perfect time for one. She wasn't wearing her usual garb, sometimes she just had to be comfortable and despite popular belief, small latex straps weren't all that comfortable. She wore an esteemed night gown, only worn by the noble and a fur robe to keep her warm. "It used to be easy to control this city…" She mused to herself. The Black Rose was her child, she cared for it, supplied it with what it needed, raised to be the syndicate it was, but it still wasn't enough. Darius cracked down on crimes, within days half of her info spies, informants and bribers were killed, executed in hideous fashions and the Hand of Noxus says he isn't finished yet. Her people are in hiding, terrified of exposure, the only reason she wasn't to be executed was her involvement in the League, and even then she received very little appreciation for her efforts. To be fair, she was no nationalist, she barely cared for the city as a whole, she just wanted to control it. To hold all the cards, and no attention towards her, that was her goal, Noxus used to be ripe with corruption, but now it may be time to move on. "Perhaps Zaun is in a state of disarray." She spoke to herself.

"Mi Lady," A voice came from behind her door and a knocking quickly followed. "Mi Lady." Leblanc waved her hand carelessly and the door swung open. One of her hooded informants stepped forward and kneeled before her.

"You may speak," She ordered him.

"General Swain has requested your presence, he said it was urgent."

"Huh, I assume it was too much to hope for an evening to myself… Very well, you are dismissed, report to the Forbidden Thorn when you can." The informant bowed again and quickly fled out the door. Leblanc snapped her fingers and a golden aura covered her robes until they emerged as her battle garb, she placed her crown upon her head, took up of her staff and set out to the Noxus Palace.

"No! No! You're saying it wrong." Draven lectured Talon.

"How could I be saying it wrong, there's only one way to say it." Talon coldly replied.

"You're saying it like, Draven, like it's not the most bad ass thing you've ever heard. You should be saying it like; Draaaaven!" And Talon only offered an unamused stare in response.

"You boys should just fuck and get it over with." Katarina joked from where she sat.

"If I were you Kat, I wouldn't make jokes about your sexual preferences." Talon countered.

"What's wrong? Miss your big squishy Demacian teddy bear?" Draven laughed. The three stood outside the war room, which Swain and Darius had entered some time ago, and have yet to give indication as to what they were planning.

"You should all end this pointless conversation and focus on something important," Leblanc strolled into the room.

"Hey Leblanc, does Swain keep his bird on his arm while you're on top of him or does that just make things weird?" Draven taunted and was answered by mystical chains enveloping him. "Hey!"

"The day you learn to shut your mouth Draven, is a day the whole world will celebrate peace on Valoran…" Leblanc shook her head and continued into the war room. The room seemed to have a green tint throughout it, but was simply a circular room with weapon racks and maps scattered about. Darius stood over the map of Valoran in the center of the room while Swain stood opposite of him.

"Lady Leblanc," Swain greeted, in about as cheerful a voice as Swain could manage. "You've arrived just in time."

"You requested my presence, how may I be of assistance?" Her tone sly and confident, as it always was.

"The Void." Swain ominously stated.

"Excuse me?"

"Demacia is gaining an edge over us…" Darius grimly spoke. "They have diplomatic relations with both Ionia and Bandle City, we have a mutual agreement with Zaun but it isn't enough. Bilge Water has refused us, and I have no intention of meeting with the Shadow Isles."

"So you're next option is the Void?" Leblanc asked, astounded by their arrogance. "This is the most foolish decision you could have come to."

"Not the void itself, just its power." Swain added, now Leblanc was curious as to their plan. "A great deal of gold has been donated to Viktor and he has created us a machine that can harness the power of the Void, bend its creatures to our will; use its destructive magic to our advantage."

"Delightful," Leblanc said without much care. "Have fun obliterating your enemies, may I return to my home?"

"No, I…" Darius thought for a moment. "Noxus needs you."

"Why?"

"The machine is powered by pure energy of the Void." Swain began. "Now there is only one known tear in reality that is a direct link to the void. That my dear is Icathia."

"The ancient city?"

"You've heard of it?" Swain followed up and Leblanc nodded. "Unfortunately, only four beings know of its location, three of them are monsters of questionable intelligence, however the last is the Priest of the Void. Malzahar."

"What does this have to with me? I have no connection to Malzahar, and would prefer for our relationship to stay that way."

"My Dear," Swain approached her. "You are the Deceiver, get him to show you a map, or describe land marks, anything would be preferable to scouring Valoran blindly,"

"Deceive him, use any method necessary to lead us to that location. From there, we'll do the rest," Darius added. "For this service I will relinquish one hundred and twenty of your spies from our dungeons."

"…A good start…" Leblanc placed a finger on her chin. "I shall deliver further terms once the location is known, but you must stay true to your word Darius."

"Of course he will," Swain answered for him. "Return to the League and seek out Malzahar, whatever you do, do it quickly, Demacia gains confidence every day, soon they'll be bold enough to strike."

"Very well, farewell General," Leblanc bowed to Swain. "Darius," She begrudgingly spoke his name as she left, not even caring to bid a farewell to Draven or the other assassins outside the chamber. It seemed pointless to return home now, the sun would be up soon anyway and Leblanc had made it through another sleepless night. It wasn't as if she wasn't tired, she just… Never felt comfortable where she slept. There was always someone waiting for her to close her eyes with a dagger in his hand, she never felt truly safe. With good reason as well, a lot of people wanted her dead and she couldn't blame them.

With most politicians out of commission due to Darius' reform movement, the Black Rose significantly reduced in power. There was only one way left for the organization to stay on top of secrets and obtain dirt on every official in the city.

Leblanc calmly opened the door to a back alley shop with "The Forbidden Rose" written on a sign hanging above. Her steps were confident and strong as she walked through the building, she walked to a far corner, to the finest table and took a seat. With a ring of a bell, a light wine glass was brought to her containing her usual choice wine and she watched. Watched as men would select her employees, one after another, and would be led off to some filthy room where things that no child should witness would take place. The Forbidden Rose was a brothel, a very successful brothel, but a brothel none the less, and Leblanc learned all she needed to from this small building. Captain Arctus was having an affair with Colonel Ovian's secretary, General An'shi killed his sister when he was younger and has yet to alert the authorities, and Private Juanshi has a Yordle fetish. That was what she learned just the night before, men were so easy to manipulate as long as they think they're in control.

"Madam Leblanc," A voice spoke to her and Leblanc turned, seeing nothing at first, her reaction was to look down and see Gaige, possibly the only Yordle she'd ever seen in Noxus. What she was doing as a concubine, Leblanc wasn't sure, she was incredibly brilliant by human standards, and from what her clients say, she has a strangely large and talented tongue. Her skin was a darker blue color and darker blue freckles ran along her cheeks. Her hair, once white, had been dyed to be Noxus colors of black, with a green line running along her bangs. "You seem distressed."

"Huh… I may be… Anything new from your clients?" Leblanc tried to divert the topic from her well being.

"No ma'am… Unless you consider a revolutionary idea on how to train monkeys worth your time… Why do I always get stuck with scribes, scientists and virgins?"

"Do you really expect a high ranking General to go for a Yordle?"

"Touché… Still, it'd nice to have someone that could actually pleasure me…" Gaige mused before a nervous looking man in a trench coat waved at her. "Oh hell…" She sighed at Leblanc.

"Something troubling you?" She asked.

"It's that guy… He has a wife who's on her way to become a Captain, so I worked him a little harder to get more information and now he thinks I love him and we'll run away together…" And Gaige turned fully to Leblanc with begging eyes. Leblanc knew what she wanted, and regretfully gave in, with a flick of her wrist, a mirror image of herself appeared and seductively made its way to the man in question. "Mistress I love you!" Gaige cheered and hugged Leblanc on her chair.

"You realize those reflections only remain tangible for ten minutes correct?"

"Oh, it'll have nine minutes to spare then… He's not a very durable man…" At this Leblanc chuckled. "Well, you spared a thirty minute sobbing session, so what's up with you? Still trying to blow Swain?"

"Nothing so crass dear, General Swain is an intelligent and interesting man… I believe our goals could be furthered if we were closer… but…" Leblanc struggled to put her childish fancy in complex form. No one captivated her attention the way the general did, and she desired comfort from him. Part of her knew better, that a love connection simply wasn't a reality, but that didn't stop her from trying.

"Yeah, you still wanna blow him," Gaige concluded with a smile. Leblanc gave up her efforts to disagree with the Yordle, knowing how difficult it was to debate with her.

"I was assigned to discover the whereabouts of Icathia. I don't suppose any of your scribes have given you any clue as where I can start?" And Gaige placed a finger on her chin to think.

"…That's the void place right?" Leblanc nodded with little effort. "…I once had a summoner in bed with me, again not the most talented lover, but he did give a lot of praise to a champion he had recently used in combat, Melzaha… Malnaza? Something like that,"

"Malzahar?" Leblanc offered. "Yes, we already discussed him at the war room."

"Well, apparently he is going to return to Icathia soon, so he's taking a month off from the League, I'm pretty sure mid-lane summoner's are having a riot…"

"Interesting…" Leblanc played with this new information. Malzahar was clearly the key to discovering the whereabouts of Icathia, the only question became; how in hell would she get it out of him…


	2. The Journey

Malzahar sat in his chambers, sitting in lotus position, mediating on the Void's teaching and running through his thoughts. These mortals simply perplexed him, he was offering them a perfect world; one where only the strong and enlightened survived, there would be no war, no misery, simply the blessings of the Void. Without conflict, without disease or death, pain or suffering, how could they refuse such a paradise? Perhaps they were afraid of such ascension, or afraid of Cho'gath… His allies were not the most inviting of people, if they could be called that. If this was indeed where the unwillingness to the void originated, he needed to find a way around this, a way to prove that, though the first step is a frightful one, the Void was not to be feared. To be fair, he was not the most inviting person either, but he didn't need to be. The weak and stupid should be left behind, the useless and pathetic left in the dust, at least… That was what he thought. He needed a different approach, to prove that the Void should not be feared but embraced. He needed a disciple.

His eyes flickered to life with their brilliant light and he placed his feet on the ground from his levitation. He walked through the hallways of the Institute, running through who he could take on as a disciple. Whoever it was… Woman are generally seen as care takers in society correct? A woman would do… She must be strong, intelligent, someone mortals trust… Luckily the League offered a surplus of strong women. Ashe is too set in her ways to accept the Void, Soraka is too caring of weaker mortals, Annie is far too young, one by one as he thought of each none of these women fitted the Void's message. Noxus had the strongest warriors, Katarina was too cold hearted, Cassiopeia fit in very well with the creatures of the void, but that's not the message he needed to send. Riven was once Noxus, she must strong… She would do, the trick would be to convince her of his cause.

"Priest!" Kha'zix called to through his thoughts, his voice as chilling as ever. Malzahar was no stranger to the hunter's calls though and simply allowed him to continue. "Come to me!"

"What do you require Kha'zix? Are you aware I am departing before the Moon's appearance?"

"Irrelevant, I need your physical presence here, now."

"Very well…" And Malzahar opened a portal that connected to Kha'zix holding cell. As soon as he stepped through, he took note of the walls dripping with fresh blood and Kha'zix huddled in the corner, apparently feasting. "Void Hunter?" Malzahar addressed Kha'zix.

"Priest!" Kha'zix turned from his meal. It was a human girl coated in armor, no doubt the poor soul sent to guard the creature. "My connection to the Void is fleeting,"

"Not surprising, you have been in this plane of existence for far too long…" Malzahar thought for a moment. "When I return from Icathia, I shall-"

"No! I must come with you to Icathia! I need to feel the Void's presence flow through my veins again."

"I will trust your ability to adapt will protect you in the harsh deserts… very well, I will be leaving by sunset and I will wait for you no longer than an half an hour."

"I will be there…" Kha'zix hissed and returned to his meal.

Thus Malzahar returned to his rounds about the institute, searching for Riven. She is a famous face in Valoran, if she would listen to him before chopping his head off, he might have a chance to change her view, even if by a small margin. His actions of the field of Justice were not in his favor for this endeavor, killing her and laughing about it wasn't a great way to make allies. Nevertheless, he had to try, the beauty of the Void needed to be brought to the masses, and as painful as it was to admit, he needed help. Effortlessly levitating through the hallways, passing several panicked guards, probably rushing to Kha'zix, he soon arrived at the mess hall. Several champions occupied at the moment, none of which were the champion he was seeking. He found Kog'maw, mindlessly gorging himself on whatever the league chef's would put in front of him. Malzahar tapped the beast once or twice to gain his attention, but Kog'maw continued to eat, oblivious to the man. With an impatient sigh, Malzahar zapped Kog'maw's back with a light bolt of Void energy. Kog'maw instantly sat up and turned to Malzahar.

"Malzahar, why do you disturb my meal? I just tried a rotten apple… It was delicious…" Kog'maw dreamily thought of his food.

"I require you assistance and sense of smell, I must find the champion Riven before I depart back to Icathia."

"I've tasted her before…" And Kog'maw raised his nose to air. "But I do not smell her anywhere near… She is neither on the fields," He sniffed again, "Nor in the Institute, perhaps she has returned home for a time?" He offered but that only seemed to anger Malzahar. "Wait… I smell anguish… I smell fear…"

"From the fields of Justice?" Malzahar offered.

"No… It's close…" Kog'maw followed his nose away from his food and followed the sent down a nearby hall way. "Pain… Desire…" he recited what his nose was telling him with Malzahar close behind.

"I swear I will…!" A woman's voice came.

"Will what? Without your tricks, you're pretty powerless against me." Whoever Kog'maw smells had to be close if Malzahar could hear their voices. They rounded one last corner and found Draven, his muscular hand wrapped tightly around Leblanc's delicate arm. "It'll be a lot of fun, I promise. You'll be one of the many proud women who have slept, with Draaaaven." Draven was uncomfortably close to Leblanc at this point, and the scene was disturbing to Malzahar, then Draven took notice of him. "Beat it freak, this is Noxus business."

"…Come on Malzahar, the Void does not need us here…" Kog'maw shrugged off his disappointment in not finding something he could devour, but Malzahar didn't move. "Malzahar?" The Priest's eyes seemed to study every detail of the situation or he was in deep thought. Then, without another word, he shot a spiteful blast of concentrated Void energy at Draven.

"Gah!" Draven called as he fell to the floor. The blast came so quickly; Leblanc had barely any time to cover her head before her attacker hit the floor. She looked up to see Malzahar, apparently out of breath from his attack, huffing in anger over the scene.

"Malzahar!" Kog'maw called again, this time Malzahar seemed to respond and regain his composer. "You are clearly ill in the head… We must get you back to Icathia as soon as possible,"

"Yes… Yes… That'd be best…" Holding his forehead in his hand, Malzahar levitated away with Kog'maw, leaving Leblanc with Draven's unconscious body. She watched as they both left and once they were completely out of site, she hurried to Draven's body.

"Well done," She commented and poured a health elixir over his burn marks. "I think he truly believed I was in danger…"

"Draven does everything to perfection!" Draven cheered but the pain kept him from cheering too loudly. "What was the point of this?"

"I thought it would be good ways for Malzahar to trust me, seeing as how I appeared as a damsel in distress, I didn't expect him to question his entire life right there and then shoot you,"

"Wait, you knew he would shoot me?"

"There we go," Leblanc ignored his question as the bottle emptied. Draven stood up and dusted himself off. "Tell Darius everything is coming along nicely."

"Draven is no man's delivery boy!" Draven called as he kept walking down the hall.

The sun had would set soon, and Malzahar was prepared for his long awaited return to Icathia, Kha'zix had yet to show up, so he had some time to run through his thoughts. To his dismay, he was unsuccessful in finding Riven; it would've been good to have a disciple follow him to Icathia. His mind drifted to his encounter with Leblanc. Something struck him when he saw her in danger there, as if a flood of information rushed through his mind. He couldn't hear the voice in that moment, all he felt was hate, hate for this buffoon of a man touching a woman he barely knew. It made no sense, but he quickly grew tired of thinking on it. Without much warning, a Voidling spawned on his shoulder, not an uncommon occurrence, and Malzahar mindlessly stroked its chin.

"Malzahar!" A voice came from the institute and he quickly looked for its source. Leblanc ran down the steps and right up to him. "Where are you going?"

"I leave for Icathia soon," He answered, still petting the Voidling.

"Well… I wanted to thank you for your actions this afternoon"

"Don't think too much of it… It was pathetically weak that you allowed yourself to be captured by one such as Draven." Leblanc frowned at his.

"Oh, well thank you anyway," She tried to play off the discouraged feeling.

"What do you want?" Malzahar asked, tired of her presence.

"Me? I don't want anything, simply to thank my rescuer."

"Well done, you have done so, leave my sight."

"Come now, surely you have no problem with an admirer for the moment," Knowing Leblanc's reputation, Malzahar knew far better than to take her at her word, she wanted something and he needed to know what it was, lest he fire off a shot through her as well. Leblanc's face indicated she knew Malzahar was not interested in her games. Eventually, her shoulders fell and she let out a breath in defeat. "Alright look," She began and this caught Malzahar attention. "I want to go to Icathia with you."

"What?"

"I want to go to Icathia with you."

"Why do you desire this?"

"Because… Because Noxus isn't the place for me… You're always going on about, how great the Void is, and I don't know if it's right, but I want to find somewhere I belong, and…"

"Silence." Malzahar announced and Leblanc recoiled a little. He began to consider her words, honestly with Leblanc, you couldn't trust a word she said, but he did require a disciple. She was attractive and well liked among the League, though impossible to trust. She would do, however he'd have to know if her intentions were genuine. "I will allow you to accompany me."

"Really?" Leblanc looked a little shocked.

"However if I so much as feel a pang of deception, I will hang your entrails among the ruins of Icathia and send your soul so far into oblivion no one will utter your name for fear of a similar fate." The whole, echoed voice thing made his threat very powerful to Leblanc, but she was unmoved.

"Excellent…" She mused. "When do we leave?"

"Now." Kha'zix spoke behind them.

"He's… coming with us?" Leblanc timidly asked.

"Yes, fear not, for a true student of the Void has nothing to fear from Kha'zix."

"We're bringing a prostitute? Priest, I thought you were above such desires."

"I do not need your jokes Kha'zix, Leblanc desires, at least she says she desires, to accept the blessings of the Void, she is coming with us to Icathia to feel the Void's presence." Malzahar lectured. "Come, we are already behind schedule and must be off as soon as possible."

**Yay! Epic journeys and what not... That's it for now, I've read this twice and I still Garen-Tee (winkie face) there are grammar errors... I think I need an editor or something... But yeah, if something seemed out of place to you, let me know. I like this pairing and feel like every couple should be done justice.**


	3. The Road to Icathia

**Hi! Sorry for the wait, but I had this play to write for a competition, and there was Thanksgiving and... Here's some MalzaharxLeblanc for you. Also, sometime in these chapters I use a few lines from a drinking song; The song is Gragas' drinking song by Falcon Shield on YouTube, credit where credit is due and all that.**

Leblanc walked uncomfortably behind Malzahar and watched her every step with Kha'zix behind her. She knew all the little things that gave liars away, an unconfident step, a wary eye; she had become a master of disguising her trepidation with confidence. It seemed to be working so far, Malzahar was no longer turning back to glare at her every ten minutes and she could no longer feel Kha'zix breathing down her neck. That didn't necessarily mean she was in the clear, but it did mean she could be a little more lax in her approach. They had been walking well into the night and she had begun to wonder where exactly they were going. She heard Malzahar came from Shurima, but that is a two week long journey. Surely there was some form of transportation Malzahar planned on taking; he had absolutely no supplies packed and no way to tell which way was correct. "Malzahar?" She spoke.

"You are my disciple, address me as such." Malzahar corrected in an impatient tone.

"Yes Lord," Leblanc inwardly swallowed her pride. "I was curious as to how we plan on reaching Icathia?"

"We will continue by foot." Malzahar answered simply and Leblanc's feet stopped at his words, Kha'zix slightly bumping into her.

"Keep moving wench!" He hissed in anger, Malzahar simply kept levitating forward, didn't even turn, so Leblanc began to walk behind him once again. She was shocked and horribly disappointed at the same time by their means of travel and cursed the high heels she wore. Then, an idea formed in her head, she was able to lightly ride her staff when a summoner asked her to tell a joke. This seemed to be a preferable means of transportation than walking, so she aloud her staff to float next to her as she walked, and casually sat upon it. She continued like this for only a minute or two before Malzahar ceased his movements and faced.

"Step off the staff Disciple."

"Oh come now, you levitate, what reason do you have that I cannot?" She protested but Malzahar was unmoving.

"It is the test of every pilgrim to walk ten thousand miles to see the Void, you must pass this trial as well." He answered coldly.

"Will we stop to sleep?"

"No." Came his forceful response. Leblanc found it better to still her tongue rather than put up a fight, clearly she wasn't going to win. Men, whether they're from Noxus, Demacia or even the Void, they all seemed unable to hear other people's opinions. This would be a very grueling mission and the rewards better be waiting for her by the end.

The three continued to walk, the sun rose, then fell again, Malzahar had not spoken this morning and it left Leblanc to wonder what was going through his mind. Occasionally, Malzahar would have Kha'zix hunt and most of the time he would return with something for Leblanc, though it still dripped with his saliva. After the first two days, Leblanc had given up on her high heels all together and simply walked barefoot now. The trade off didn't seem worth it though, feeling the dirt and grime between her toes made her feel pitiful. Like she was a child, running through crowded city streets or mud around a farm, all of it only brought up bad memories for her.

They had reached an open plain, the mountains were coming into view and the grass was higher than Leblanc's waist. It had been dark for only an hour or two and Malzahar continued to float on until…

"Gah!" Malzahar cried out and fell to one knee, gripping his chest in agony.

"Master?" Leblanc question and ran to his side and Kha'zix began to hiss at the surroundings.

"Kassadin…" He whispered in agony, clutching where a Null Sphere had struck. Kassadin made his appearance with a teleport in front of the three with his sword drawn. Leblanc launched a magical bolt at him but his Void Stone easily rendered her magic useless. He approached Malzahar, ominous and wordlessly, only to be tackled down by Kha'zix. "Disciple what are you doing? Assist the Hunter!" Mal ordered her.

"You're bleeding" She ordered back, just as forceful. "I don't care much of the Void is in you, you're still human and you will die if you bleed out."

Kassadin struggled with Kha'zix on top of him, carefully avoiding his mantis arms, delivering a kick into the beast's gut and throwing it off of him. With Kha'zix pained, Kassadin pinned the beast by the throat and sent his sword through his exoskeleton, until he felt it hit the ground. His sword going completely through the chest cavity. Kha'zix let out a monstrous cry in pain and his eyes closed. Kassadin looked back to Malzahar and saw Leblanc, struggling to keep him on his feet.

Leblanc met his gaze, only to watch as he disappear into a purple mesh and reappear behind her. With a quick motion, he sent his blade deep into Leblanc's back and watched as she collapsed with Malzahar. It was easier than he thought; until he saw the bodies turn into magical dust.

"Guess again," Kassadin heard a voice and turned to see the woman he had just killed standing before him, without a scratch. Mystical chains snaked their way and bound Kassadin to a spot, leaving him vulnerable for attack. He felt his mana being drained through them, but the finishing blow never came. "Well, that was easy" She mused and returned to where she left the true Malzahar.

"Clever disciple…" He muttered though he was still in immense pain. He tried to stand with her, but the pain was too much and he fell to the ground. "Leave me for the moment, check on the Hunter."

Leblanc ran over to check on Kha'zix, he was bleeding his strange green blood, but his chest was clearly rising and falling, despite being in two halves. He was alive, but wouldn't be for long. She didn't have many medical supplies left after treating Malzahar, the best she could do was wrap the wound, and return to Mal.

"What shall I do with Kassadin master?"

"Kill him." Malzahar ordered and Leblanc returned to where she bound him. Both of her compatriots were in too much pain to monitor her actions, so she approached him without intention to kill.

"Don't walk down this path, it leads to nothing but misery!" Kassadin spoke to Leblanc as she approached. "The Void is evil."

"I know that fool," she silenced him. "I am still an agent of Noxus, sent to find the location of Icathia."

"No, you don't understand, Zilean sent me." Now he had Leblanc's attention. "He said he's seen this future, a future where Noxus harnesses the Void, it does not end well for anyone! Noxus destroys half of Valoran!"

"What do I care what Noxus does? What do you? We are the better people of this world. These peasants that people fight so hard to protect? They are evil. They are corrupt; no one deserves the luxuries they own. Perhaps it is for the best if half of them are wiped out."

"Please you do not understand, this will not end well for you."

"I grow tired of your voice, I will release these chains, but you must swear to cease all interference with my plans. Is that understood?" But Kassadin didn't reply from under his helmet so Leblanc took the dagger she kept at her side and placed it on his throat. Kassadin stayed silent another moment before bowing his head.

"I understand," And Leblanc retracted her chains. Kassadin fell to the ground in weakness and struggled to get up. "But be warned, others will come to stop you. I only hope one of them succeeds where I failed." In the next instant, Kassadin had vanished. Leblanc returned to Mal, who was just now gaining his footing again.

"What are we going to do?" She asked him.

"We must… Continue to Icathia…"

"What?" Her voice was full of shock. Part of her admired his dedication, but most of her just thought he was mad. "Kha'zix is next to dead, you're not much better, and Kassadin said more were coming. How in hell do you plan on making it to Icathia?"

"I'll find a way." Was all he answered with and stumbled to the ground again. "Icathia needs me!..." It was at this point Leblanc gave up on Malzahar's sanity. He needed to be alive to show her where to go, but he seemed determine to kill himself. They were a two and a half day walk from the Institute, they were heading east so that means they were only a day's journey from… Leblanc dropped her shoulders in disappointment. "Demacia…" She muttered. Malzahar was still stumbling to where he believed Icathia was, so with a quick push from Leblanc, he fell to ground and into unconsciousness.

"I've always wanted children," She mused to him as the sun sat over their heads. The grass blowing beneath their bodies, everything seemed… warm, the day was young and a calm breeze kept everything just perfect. "Maybe a Sand Crawler as a pet," Malzahar just sat and listened to her speak with a content smile. "You can see the future no? Will I make you happy? Because if I don't, I don't want to…" He silenced her with a kiss on the cheek.

"No need to spoil the surprise." He poked fun at her. "I could look at our future together," And he laced his fingers with hers. "But that wouldn't be any fun now would it?" She giggled at his remark and lightly kissed his forehead.

"I love you."

"I love you too."


	4. Recovery

Malzahar awoke with a gasp and his eyes flickered back to life. He looked to the ground and saw the ground moving before his eyes. His body was moving, but he was not the one doing it, he surveyed his surroundings and saw the magical aura that was carrying him. He looked to his left and saw Kha'zix's limp body on the same aura and finally looked up to see Leblanc, levitating on her staff along the side. The sun was setting, and fair weather trees surrounded him on every side. He was not in Shurima, where was this woman taking him? "Disciple." He tried to speak but his voice was still weak. "Disciple!" He called once again and Leblanc turned to him. "Where are you going?"

"Oh you are so welcome, so kind of you to thank me for saving your life." Malzahar didn't appear amused by her sarcasm, but she kept pushing the wall of light she held the two on. "We're going to a city state to treat you and Kha'zix."

"What!?" Malzahar snapped and tried to sit up again but quickly fell back down.

"Stop moving." She ordered him. "I think that Null Sphere broke a few ribs, and the less you move the better."

"What of Kha'zix?"

"Well, his body is adapting, like it always does, but the sword went completely through his body, I don't know bug anatomy too well, but I'm guessing several organs were punctured, he needs medical help."

"And just what makes you think wherever you're taking us will offer assistance to a Noxian Witch, a Demonic Bug and a Bleeding Madman?"

"Easy," Leblanc said with a confident smile and waved her hand. Aura surrounded each of them as Leblanc's curious magic did its work. Malzahar watched as she went from an esteemed lady, into a common farmer woman. Her hair grew lighter and longer, her eyes brighter, her face simpler, even her clothes morphed with the magic. He struggled to look over to Kha'zix who had a similar magical effect taking place; the Void Hunter began to look almost human. He grew skin and dark hair, though his eyes remained shut.

"What have you done?" He questioned and Leblanc just flashed another smile.

"I've given us a ticket into Demacia." She mused and continued pushing them along. Malzahar saw the magical field he was set upon become a farmer's covered wagon, pulled by a strange beast. It was incredible the amount of illusion this woman held, she could fool the greatest detective into believing he was the criminal! Malzahar admitted, he was impressed.

"How much further?" He called to her.

"Not much, I've been walking for the past day or so, we should be there by midnight." This was concerning to Malzahar considering he passed out when the midnight was already approaching. He looked up again to the imitation of a woman Leblanc had given herself. She looked so familiar, as if he knew her but he had never seen the face before it was not even a true face. Perhaps it was the light freckles that dotted her cheeks, or the color of her hair… It was at this point he realized he was staring at Leblanc and she too noticed his stare. "Something bothering you Master?" Her voice had also changed along with her physical appearance, it was now much sweeter and kind hearted.

"No." He quickly answered and sent his gaze to the sky. The stars painted the skies with brilliant light, the moon was at a crest and Malzahar decided to close his eyes again. Leblanc had to admit, he looked so much more peaceful while he slept. Even in the illusion form she had provided for him, his eyes seemed to bare this hate within them but while he slept, she could almost see the person inside the scornful being that was Malzahar.

Midnight was soon upon when the lights of Demacia came into view, Leblanc never felt so happy to see a bunch of try-hard fools. She didn't exactly hate Demacians, they were just foolish in her opinion. They thought of themselves as just, righteous or even benevolent but there was no such thing in the world. To dream of a world where the rulers were benevolent was pure fantasy, but Demacians still seemed to pursue this belief. Regardless, she needed to find Icathia and the only man who knew how to get there was dying next to her. She just hoped the Void energy inside him would keep him alive longer than most.

Leblanc felt a single drop of sweat as she approached the great stone arch that led into Demacia there were several guards placed around the entrance, they're armor flew Demacian colors and their helmets covered their eyes. She trusted her magic, the magical form she had given herself was holding up nicely and the guards made no effort to stop her. Not even a standard patted down search… The Demacians were bigger fools than she thought. Inside the great city, the architecture matched that of the gates, there was a nice bustle going among the people, they roamed the streets without much worry or fear. It was a completely different feeling than that of Noxus, so much so that she completely forgot the reason she had come to this foreign state. Snapping out of her trance on the city, Leblanc checked back in on Malzahar and Kha'zix, Mal had passed out again and Kha'zix had much lighter breathing than before. Again, being completely unaware of his anatomy, she had no idea if this was a good or bad sign, but she needed to get them to a healer and soon.

"Sir!" She cried out to one of the patrons walking the streets. "I haven't got the coin to pay them, but I must find a healer for my…" She struggled to put a label on the two in her cart. "Family,"

"Coin?" The man looked at her confused. "Healers cost no money ma'am, we must hurry to their building of practice!" And the man took hold of the wagon Leblanc had disguised her magic as and ran as fast has he could down the street. This was a very strange place, how do healers make a living if not from their patients? Since when do people assist a stranger first and ask questions later? It was confusing but Leblanc didn't feel the need to complain and took off after the man. It was a short run down the street to where the man brought Malzahar and Kha'zix. The wagon was now empty and Leblanc made her way inside to see a panic of mages and apothecaries all working their various forms of healing on the two in front of them. She tried to get a glance at the two, see if the magic was holding the illusions up, luckily it was, before she was pulled away by an apprentice mage.

"Sorry ma'am, you'll have to come with me, the magicians must perform their practices without disturbances."

"Oh… Yes of course…" And she followed the apprentice to a small table where he took the chair opposite to her with a piece of paper and quill in hand.

"Alright some simple questions for you; what's your name?"

"…" Leblanc sat silent for a moment, feeling very stupid that she did not come up with a name for this disguise she had put on. The apprentice looked at her with a confused smile and quill ready, so she just spat out "Anastasia"

"Last name?"

"Atkinson." Another on the spot decision.

"Oh next thing you'll tell me is your middle name is Allison," The apprentice laughed at his own joke and Leblanc tried to smile with him.

"How are you related to the patients?"

"They're my brothers." She answered regaining some confidence in her ability to lie.

"Their names are?"

"Martin and… Nicholas."

"Last names?"

"They're my brothers, what do you think they're last names are?"

"Oh, my mistake madam, I thought you had taken on your husband's last name."

"I'm not engaged."

"Truly? A fine woman such as yourself is usually spoken for… Apologizes, what is your profession?"

"I am a woman am I not? Am I entitled to anything aside from soldier and maiden?"

"…You're not from here are you?" The apprentice laughed a little and Leblanc dropped her shoulders a bit in defeat.

"No… we just moved here from Noxus,"

"Ah, that's unique, they usually don't let anybody out." He laughed at his own joke again, and Leblanc uncomfortably laughed with him. "Well, welcome to Demacia, have your brother's picked up any work since you've been here?"

"Um… No, trying, but…"

"Yeah, I understand, well I'll spare you the formalities since you're new to the city," And he threw the sheet he was writing on away. "Just make sure you and your brothers are alright, you don't need some child constantly questioning you on your life story."

"Thank you." She bowed and left the chair. Demacia was stranger than she thought, hopefully they would heal the two and she could be on her way once again, the less time she had to spend on this mission, in this town, the better. She made her way back to where they had entered where and other family members were waiting. She took a seat and quietly waited. Unfortunately, there was nothing to keep her attention in this room, it was dreadfully quiet, relatives simply sat and looked at the ground, waiting for any news towards their loved ones. Leblanc got comfortable in her seat and decided to do whenever she was border; people watch. There was an elderly couple, close to tears sitting next to her; she guessed their son was injured in battle, perhaps by one of Singe's newest concoctions. Then there was a single man, he looked nervous and eager at the same time, she guessed he was to be a father soon, and to a woman who was not his wife. The only other relative in the room was a single woman, much like herself, Leblanc couldn't put a finger on who she was here for. She was not worried, nor was she anxious, she simply stared at the floor, no emotion painting her face as if she was processing. Perhaps she just received news she did not want to hear, that was the only conclusion Leblanc could think of.

What felt like hours passed as she sat there, waiting for any news on Mal or Kha'zix, they were very close to death when she left them, but with most modern healing spells, they should be in a stable condition by now. Still, there was nothing she could do but wait, and wait she did. Eventually her eyes grew heavy enough that she subtlety closed them and dozed off in the waiting room.

"Ms. Atkinson?" At first Leblanc didn't recognize the name as the one she had chosen for her cover. "Ms. Atkinson?" The voice came again and physically nudged her this time and she was startled awake. "Oh, my apologize ma'am, but we have your brothers in a stable condition if you would like to see them."

"My who?" She asked at first but quickly recovered. "Oh of course… I'll go see them…" And she followed the apprentice back to the medical wards. The wards were full with a range of recovering to dying patients, it was a very unnerving sight. In Noxus when a patient was beyond saving, they would simply be killed outright, no one was ever really saved. She spied the illusion she had thrown up around Malzahar in the back of the ward, sitting upright and looked very contemplative. "Ready to go 'brother'?" She asked as she approached him.

"I find this form to be… Less than repulsive… Still, it gave these doctors reason enough to heal me and I thank you for your quick thinking."

"Not a problem, you are still my master, and I your disciple, where is Kha'zix?" But Malzahar did not answer and only looked more sullen. "Master?"

"The Void Hunter is in a fatal state, the healers have not discovered his true nature but made note of his impressive healing factor. All they can do is keep him alive until he is well."

"How long will that take?"

"I do not know… But if the wounds were deep enough to stump these men, who were able to treat me, then I'd guess an extended amount of time." Malzahar thought for a moment more. "We must leave him… Icathia cannot wait any longer than I have already delayed."

"I'm sorry but I can't maintain the spell at that kind of radius," Leblanc informed him and Mal went into a contemplative state again. On one hand, he had to return to Icathia, and soon. On the other, if Demacians had access to Kha'zix to open experiment, it could give them a severe edge on Void soldiers. Neither option was preferable, but he had some time for Kha'zix to heal and Icathia could be patient.

"We shall stay until Kha'zix's injuries have fully healed, can you keep this disguise up for an extended period of time in this vicinity?"

"As long as we stay in the same district as Kha'zix, I think I should be able to."

"Good, then begin finding ways for us to blend into this society until then. Hopefully we shall not be delayed for too long…"

"I agree."


	5. Puppets

Malzahar examined the inn he and Leblanc stood in. It wasn't disgusting and far from luxurious, on the ground floor was a pub, where patrons drank away their sorrows and celebrated their joys. The upper floor consisted of a few rooms and a single, long hallway. They had just finished touring the place and Malzahar watched as Leblanc discussed pricing with the owner. Mortals were so strange to live in such a place, at least a cave was less noisy than this, he preferred his solitude and that didn't seem to be an option here.

"No, no you don't understand," Leblanc ran through her concern once again. "See, my husband is a very powerful and jealous man, if I share a room with anyone, my brother included, he will do something rash."

"And again, I'm very sorry ma'am, but we only have one available room." The Bartender tried to explain. He was an old a grizzled man, his belly large and the hair had gone from his head.

"Come now, surely there is something that can be done." She tried to appeal with her sexuality but the Bartender simply slammed a key on the counter and slid it to her. "…Fine…" This was a large failure to Leblanc, she'd have to learn an entirely different form of trickery with these people. With Noxians it was easy, they either respected you and you could appeal to honor or they didn't and you appealed to their sexuality. Demacians had this damned moral code about them that made her usual tricks obsolete. She returned to Malzahar a little defeated but managed to keep her head high.

"Where is my key?" He asked, Leblanc prided herself on her ability to change his voice from such a disturbing echoed voice to one of a normal man.

"I'm afraid this is the only room they have today, there is only one washroom and one bed. This will be more unpleasant than I previously thought."

"Surely there are other Inns." Malzahar pointed out.

"Not within my radius to Kha'zix, just deal with it will you?"

"Very well… However you should know that as a priest of the Void I will refuse any sexual activity you put forth."

"Two things we agree on in the same day? I dare say you're beginning to fancy me." She taunted him and turned towards the stairs that led to the room they were given.

The room was spacious, for an Inn room, the bed was large enough for two; there were cupboards to store food, drawers for clothing. It would serve them nicely for a short period of time, which was hopefully all that they needed. "Where shall you sleep?" Malzahar asked scanning the room.

"Well, I'm thinking the bed." She responded sarcastically. "Unless you have a spare hay pile in your robes."

"Do you prefer to sleep on hay?" He seemed oblivious to her joke but she shrugged it off and sat herself down on the bed. "Retiring so early disciple?"

"Yes, I have been walking for the past three days without rest, sleep is the best thing I could do right now." He watched as she stretched for a minute before curling up on the left half of the bed and shut her eyes. He starred at the form she had given herself again, odd that she could keep it up even as she slept. There was a pale of water near the door, where he still stood and looked down into it. It was the first time he saw this disguise that Leblanc had given him. His face seemed to be the same, but his eyes had reverted back to when the Void had not blessed him. They were a brilliant green now, though his old eyes were… What color were they? He could not remember and this worried Malzahar, though he could not put a finger as to why. His eyes were not always glowing with the Void's pure teachings, they were once a color… something other than white. The name Leblanc had given him was Nicholas Atkinson, much like his mother's name… What was her mother's name? What did her face look like? These thoughts ran through his head faster than he cared to keep track of them.

"It doesn't matter!" He snapped at himself before realizing he had said it aloud. He looked to Leblanc who still sat, sound asleep but that didn't change his thoughts. "It does not matter," He calmly repeated to himself. "The Void is all I need now and Icathia, needs me."

"Talking to yourself?" Leblanc sat up from the bed. He should've guessed she wasn't truly asleep.

"Just reassuring myself, get your rest disciple, you will need it."

"You can talk to me if you need it,"

"You forget that I cannot." His voice was firm and Leblanc recoiled a bit. "You are the mistress of lies and deception. Your loyalties are as fickle as the wind."

"I am a person am I not? As are you… More or less, we support each other when we need someone to lean on, it's what companions do."

"I am not a mortal like you. I have ascended to something far greater." She didn't know why, but that statement just made her blood boil. Leblanc stood from the bed with her fist clutched in anger.

"To what? What have you ascended to?" She spat back at him.

"A near God among mortals,"

"Wrong." She snapped and this caught Malzahar off guard. "You're a puffed up messenger, you don't have any of your own power. Everything you see me use? Every spell? I had to learn that, I had to practice for hours on end. Day and night. You? You were just handed some special powers and suddenly you think that everyone should be bowing before you. You don't know what it's like to spend every day of your life in fear. You have no idea what it's like to be powerless. You're no god, you're barely even a man. You're a damned puppet!" She stared at him after her rant, surprised by the words she just uttered. The eyes she had given him went wide with shock, and her eyes widened with them. She recoiled back onto her bed looked down in shame. "Apologizes Master."

"…G… Good… You should apologize for such false words…" Malzahar felt shaken. He must of looked truly pathetic in this moment, his confidence, his conviction, all thrown into questioning by one woman.

Still, some of these thoughts plagued him through the night. He did not sleep, sleep was for the mortal, so he sat in the center of the room, silently mediating with his thoughts when the voice spoke again.

"Malzahar," It called.

"I am here,"

"But the road to Icathia lies cold, why are you delaying your journey?"

"I am afraid Kassadin felt the need to interfere. I have been severely wounded and Kha'zix remains unconscious. My Disciple has found us refuge in a mortal city."

"Disciple? I do not recall giving such an instruction."

"No, but I thought-"

"That was your first mistake! You are not here to think, only bring the Void to these pitiful people. You have done so well Malzahar, do not fail me now. Get to Icathia, quickly."

Their meeting done, Malzahar opened his eyes again. The sun shined through the small window, it was clear his meditations had exceeded the time he believed it would take. He looked back and saw Leblanc had gone from where she slept. He placed his feet onto the floor boards from where he was levitating and analyzed the conversation he had just had. It was clear he was not the voice's equal; that had always been clear. A puppet though? So insignificant, so worthless? No. He mattered the Void needed him, just as he needed it. A tinge of his confidence returned and he made his way out of the small room.

Leblanc sat on a bench near a ceramic garden. Part of her mind was dedicated to figuring out how she would achieve her current task, praying she had not lost Malzahar's trust with her outburst last night, while the other simply wanted to indulge in the calmness of the Demacian morning. The sun was barely over the great walls that surrounded Demacia and there was a pleasant aroma in the air. It was as if the world's problems had stopped for just this one instant. She didn't realize how nice mornings were, she usually slept or worked right through them.

"Hi," A pleasant voice called to her. She sat up on her bench and looked around for a moment only, there was no one in site. "Down here silly," And Leblanc looked down to see a little girl, covered rags and grime. "Hi!"

"Oh, hello," She offered but was already eager to be rid of the child. "Where are your parents young one?"

"Mommy is in the army and I don't see Daddy is making swords and I don't get to see him now." Her high pitched and eager voice didn't seem to reflect emotional state. "But you look lonely too, so I thought we could be lonely together." Had anyone besides a child said this to her, Leblanc may have slapped them. The little girl took a seat next to Leblanc and started to hum a happy tune. "What's your name?"

"Le…" She quickly stopped herself. "Ana, what is yours?"

"I'm Emily. Where are your parents?"

"Dead." She shrugged, lying to a child seemed a pointless task.

"Oh… I'm sorry,"

"I'm not." She meant it to be cruel, but Emily seemed to only giggle at this. "What?"

"You're a bad liar." This was possibly the greatest insult Leblanc had ever received. "Everybody loves their parents!"

"Well, I did not, and I have no problem with them being gone."

"Wanna play a game?" Emily asked changing the subject rather abruptly.

"No."

"Oh come on! It'll be a lot of fun!" Leblanc starred Emily for a moment, her pleading eyes were virtually irresistible.

"Fine… What game?" And Emily began to think of a game, comically sticking her tongue out while she thought.

"How about… Oh! Do you know the League of Legends?"

"…A little of it…" Leblanc fell a little deeper into the bench.

"Okay!" Emily cheered with much excitement. She ran over to the gardens and picked up a large stick and ran back to Leblanc. "Here you can be Jax, and I'll be…" She ran off again and scooped up a pile of dirt. "I'll be Ziggs!" A dirt bomb? Leblanc mused, she'd love to see Ziggs work with that.

"Wouldn't you rather be one of the great Demacian heroes? Did your parents not teach you to revere your champions and despise your enemies?" Leblanc asked confused.

"Nope, I like all the champions… Except Draven, that guy's stupid."

"I concur," Leblanc laughed a little. Compared to her upbringing, this child was so much more enlightened than she. Noxus indoctrination had already affected her mind at this age and by the time she was old enough to realize it, she felt such a fool. Demacia was different, but perhaps, that was not such a bad thing. "Very well," She took up the stick Emily had provided for her, "I shall be the great Jax."

Malzahar was struggling to get back into walking, levitating had become his main means of travel and now he must use his feet to maintain Leblanc's ploy. The streets were empty for the most part, the whole area seemed to have a nice golden glow to it, but such fancies were beneath him, or so told himself. He needed to find Leblanc, order her to stay with Kha'zix, and get moving once again, he could wait no longer. Leblanc was still an unknown to him, she seemed dedicated enough, or at least had yet to prove otherwise, he would've enjoyed some form of company on his journey, but Kha'zix needed to be tended to.

"Ha!" A voice could be heard in the distance, Malzahar didn't recognize it, but it perhaps its owner could point him in the direction of Leblanc. So he quickened his steps and followed the voice through the city streets. "Aw man… That's another point for you…" He was getting close, and as he approached he could make out two figures playing on a small bench.

"Well, would you like to choose another champion?" The taller one asked.

"I want to be Cho'gath! Rawww!" Malzahar grew concerned at the sound of someone impersonating his ally and came into clear view of the two. It was indeed the disguised Leblanc, but he did not recognize the girl he was speaking to.

"Oh…" Leblanc turned to Malzahar with an apparent look of disappointment. "Hello Nicholas." She greeted him in his false name.

"I must speak to you," He informed curtly.

"Of course…" She seemed a tad reluctant to say goodbye to her new friend, but from what he understood from Leblanc, this was simply another trick, she must have had some alternate motive to be playing such a silly game with a child… She followed him a few meters from the child before he turned to discuss with her.

"I must leave."

"Is Kha'zix doing better already?"

"No, but the Void is calling, if I doddle any longer then Icathia will be lost to me. I cannot stay any longer."

"But… The Demcians will discover Kha'zix's true form without my protection here."

"You will be staying as well. I appreciate all you have done so far, but I must make the rest of this journey alone." Leblanc's eyes glanced down for a moment, before returning to his.

"No." She said. "You're not going anywhere without me."

"Excuse me? You are my disciple, and you must respect my demands."

"If you even think about leaving me here, I'll take off the spell on Kha'zix anyway, I'll give him right to the Demacians."

"You are bluffing woman, you would not hand Void secrets to the enemy of Noxus."

"Watch me." Malzahar was silent after this, she was so strong in her conviction, and such a determined look her eye. Leblanc was so glad she gave him pupils; she could now tell when he was thinking things over.


	6. Puppet Masters

"Infuriating woman… Very well, I will stay until you are ready to leave." And Leblanc looked triumphant at this but he violently grabbed her wrist. "This is not for you however. If nothing more, this is to prove I am no puppet and am well within my rights to act as a God among you pathetic mortals."

"Fine." She spat back at him. "Come along Emily," Leblanc returned to her small friend. "Let us find your father." Emily happily took Leblanc's hand and they walked away from Malzahar, who was still burning with aggression.

He returned to the Inn that they had taken up residence in and sat at a stool. 'She believes herself to be so… Pompous!' he thought. 'I should've found a more subordinate woman, or… one that was less idealistic, something other than her.'

"Sir?" He heard and sat up, the Bartender stood next to him with a simple look on his face. "Can I get you something?" Malzahar thought the question over for a moment.

"What do you people usually do to distract your mind?"

"Troubles?"

"Indeed."

"Here, try this." And he placed a mug on the bar. Malzahar starred at it a moment and gradually picked it up and took a sip.

"This beverage is… acceptable…"

"See? Alcohol will right all the world's wrongs, so what's eating you friend?"

"I'm not your friend, and that is none of your business."

"Ah, a quiet type, yeah I get a few of those, but I'm not going anywhere if you feel like talking." The Bartender looked down and saw the glass was already fairly empty, which, meant only one thing. "Ah, you are having women troubles right?"

"You are a physic?" Malzahar questioned as the bartender refilled the glass.

"No, just good at patterns, did she leave you or…?"

"No… I wish to be rid of her, but I cannot leave!"

"Ah, yeah I've seen some other guys like this, I'm right there with my wife. You love her, but you hate her at the same time, you just gotta decide if you can or can't live without her though, it's the only way to not make the greatest mistake of your life."

"I believe I already know the answer to this… Thank you bar slave, I will be off now."

"Wait, you have to pay for the drinks,"

"What?" Malzahar asked, genuinely confused.

"You know… Pay? You only had two pints, it's only ten gold."

"I… Do not have any money…"

"Well… That's a problem, what about your woman? She have any cash on her?"

"Perhaps… I would have to find her first," And he made his way to the door and was stopped by a grizzly man. "Of course, how foolish of me, I give you my word I shall return."

"Sorry, but you'll have to stick around until the money comes, we'll send someone out to find your wife." The grizzly man stated. Clearly the man could best Malzahar in a physical contest and this was Leblanc's fault anyhow, he might as well stick around until they found her.

"She is not my wife, but do attempt to find her as soon as possible…"

"What's she look like?"

"A small woman with auburn hair, pale, fair skin and light freckles, last I saw her she was with a little girl."

"What of this one?" Leblanc asked the merchant, pointing to one of the silver chains on display.

"It would go lovely with your eyes, I have an amethyst pendent for an extra three gold."

"Oh… Thank you, but I think I'll pass for today. I may return to buy the chain though."

"Okay, I'll see you then." The merchant smiled and waved as she left. These market districts were incredible, so much life, the streets bustled with chatter, people and goods. Fresh baked goods filled the air, along with several scents that Leblanc couldn't recognize. Not a single shop owner had threatened her life, she noticed several thieves get away, and even more were caught. She was not foolish enough to believe this town was free of corruption, she had read Vayne's biography, but the people didn't live a life of fear and antisocialism. They were free to simply enjoy parts of life, they were free to simply be people. It was how people should live. Back in Noxus, she would always see the worst Rune Terra had to offer, the corrupt, the vile and perverted. It stood to reason that much of humanity was like this, but with the brief two days she'd spent in Demacia, she'd seen more pure hearts than before in her life. It was all so… Different than how she'd pictured Demacia, she'd always thought the people were just as oppressed as Noxians, only Demacian governments did a much better job of keeping their people blind to it.

"Anastasia!" Leblanc perked up. "Anastasia Atkinson?" A man in the center of the market was calling her name.

"Yes? Yes I'm here!" She called and drew his attention. He quickly ran to her and seemed near out of breath, hopefully he wasn't looking for too long…

"Ma'am I regret to inform you that your brother needs your aid."

"Why's that?"

"He is a bit short on cash and cannot pay for his drinks."

"I see… Very well lead me to him." She hastily followed the man through the crowds with a mixture of empathy and laughter at the idea of Malzahar drinking. It was a short way to their Inn, as she had to stay close to Kha'zix, but it was a walk that she would rather skip on.

"Nicholas?" She walked through the door. Malzahar was sitting in a chair close to the door, locked in an arm wrestle with a man twice his size. Leblanc felt her jaw noticeably drop, not only that Malzahar would participate in such an event, but that he would be winning as well.

"No way… No way is that possible!" One of the bar spectators cheered and got very excited. Leblanc simply watched in amusement as Malzahar finished the job and slammed his rival's hand to the table. "He did! He bit Eric!" The same spectator cheered and the bar erupted into a round of applause. She found her way to his side and stood over the table with an amused grin.

"Well done my brother, well done indeed."

"You mock me? Was I not victorious in conquering this man? Should I not be praised?"

"I was just surprised that a 'God among men' would have time for such a small display of skill."

"A God must always prove his prowess, how else would his subjects know to fear him?" Leblanc turned to the cheering crowd, all smiles and laughter as they stared at him.

"That's not fear though," And Malzahar stared in both confusion and awe at the crowd. "Perhaps being loved is a tad better than being feared no?"

"Hey Bard!" The bartender called. "Get off your arse and play us a tune will ya!?" And he threw a bottle at a sleeping man with a lute. It shattered on the wall and startled the sleeping man awake and straight into playing his merry instrument. An accordion began next, and finally a low drum until a full percussion was playing. To the tune, the man Malzahar had just beaten took a stool and began patting his knee.

"Well gather close and listen, a tale of mead for every ear!" He sang to the music and men began dancing with one another. "A storm is brewing on the rift, no need to make an arcane shift." It wasn't long before a man wrapped his arm around Leblanc's waist and pulled her into the merry little time.

"Uh, no that is, quiet alright." She pleaded but the man simply continued to dance and swing her about the inn. Leblanc felt herself spin from one man to another, feeling very uncomfortable all the while, being in the arms of men she barely knew. Then, her spinning stopped and she landed in the arms of a particularly dashing man who began to sway her to the music.

Malzahar continued to watch from where he sat. It was an interesting display, furthermore, she had reminded him why he had brought her along in the first place. To teach people to love the Void, and though he wanted the weak to fear it just as much as the strong, it is preferable that all worship the Void, what does it matter how? He tried to find his disciple among the crowd, but his initial search proved unsuccessful. So, without quiet knowing what he was doing, he walked into the chaos.

Leblanc felt the man release her and spin her into the arms of another man, though she didn't truly see the face in her motion. She felt the man twirl her with one arm and she fell back into his arms. She felt so warm and alive, this was not the type of dancing she was used to… But it was some of the most fun she could recall having. She looked up to the face of whoever was currently swinging with her and her feet firmly planted themselves upon recognition of who it was. "Did I mess up?" Malzahar asked her.

"No… No, I'm just surprised, pleasantly, mind you. Please continue." She smiled at him and they continued to move with the music and with each other.

"Grab a mug and have a chug, 'til you pass out and wake back up! Then have a cask and down it fast…" The chorus rang through as the merriment continued. Both partners were impressed with the other's ability to keep time. As if they had danced this dance before, it felt easy, it felt natural but most of all, it felt good just to be in each other's arms.

Eventually the music died down, the vocalist and the dancing stopped. It was a subtle disperse, but Leblanc and Malzahar returned to where Mal was sitting, and though he wasn't smiling, Leblanc had a good idea he was. Several patrons, drunk and sober, commented on their talent in dancing as they struggled to regain their breath.

"So, how does it feel to be loved by a people?" She asked between huffs.

"They shall tell me when they all feel me 'love'…" After his sentence he seemed to stop and Leblanc gave a coy smile. "That sounded so very childish…" Which sent her into a light laugh.

"You mean dirty dear, there's a significant difference."

"Have you paid for the drinks I consumed prior to this?"

"Oh damn, I forgot, one moment." She reached to her satchel and searched for a moment before growing a worrisome look. "I…" She searched a tad more haste. "…It occurs to me I may have spent the remainder of our coin..."

"On what?" He questioned and Leblanc just looked a little embarrassed.

"Just… A little memento of your time here…" She held a small ring out with a violet gem stone in it. Malzahar starred into its gleam and almost seemed entranced by its shine. "Here," she offered it to him and he hesitantly took it into his hand. He continued to stare as he slid it onto his finger and observed how it looked on his hand.

"I… Appreciate such a thought, not many have thought of me when it comes to gifts."

"Well, don't look too deep into it, consider it a thank you for taking me on as a disciple." And they shared a smile, though were unable to look at each other. "Well, I suppose I should tell the man we cannot pay for our drinks, you stay here."

"I shall be here." He affirmed and watched as she walked away. Malzahar closed his eyes for a moment and let his head fall back onto the chair's headrest. He felt his consciousness fade as he sat with his eyes close and his mind began painting a picture.

'A vision?' he thought. 'I haven't had one in such a long time…' The scene was fuzzy at first, just a blur of colors. But as he focused, two shapes formed into humans, furniture started to form around them. One was a woman, the other a man, he was poorly clothed, and she even less so but covered her figure with two different dresses.

"Which do you like better?" She asked to him.

"You look ravishing in anything Love," He responded with a warm smile. Malzahar could see their faces, but did not know either of them, it was rare that he could see the future of people he had never met.

"Oh come now, you must have a preference, I want you to be proud that I am your woman now."

"There isn't a plane of existence where I am not proud you are my woman." Malzahar rolled his eyes at the tacky comment. The two were sickeningly in love, and it almost hurt to watch but his visions were difficult to manipulate, so he kept watching. "But I will choose the blue one to appease you."

"Blue it is," She smiled and lovingly kissed him. Malzahar felt his consciousness fade out of the vision and back into reality, slightly more disgusted than previously.

"Nicholas!" He heard Leblanc's disguised voice and looked up to see her waving him over to the bar. "Come over," And he obeyed.

"What is it?" He asked as he approached her and the bartender.

"We've reached an impasse," Was all she offered him and he looked to the bartender, confused.

"See, you two ain't got any coin, and I am in need of a new bar waitress." Malzahar felt his smile curl at where this was going. "So I thought, why not work here? You have to pay for the room you're staying in as well, don't you know?"

"And I said that's the most degrading thing I could possibly do,"

"Ana, as your brother and master, I order to take this job." He said with his usual firm voice, but Leblanc saw something different about when he said it, he wore a smile, as if he was joking with her.

"Perfect!" The bartender cried. "But that'll only cover the room, if you want to buy food, you're gonna have to work too big guy." And Malzahar's smile quickly dissipated but Leblanc quickly formed one. "I'm in need of a new store hand, I'm too old to be lifting these barrels of ale, I'd pay you both for your work, and you'll get every seventh day off." Malzahar thought this over; could Kha'zix truly be injured for much longer? He hoped not, but swallowed his pride and looked at the elderly bartender.

"Very well, when do we start?"

**That's all for now, I'm really, really worried I took them too far out of character with the whole dancing thing... So I need your reviews! Please. I want this story to say "Hey! Shipping Malzahar and Leblanc is a very respectable practice and you should sit down." So... Yeah, reviews and stuff I'll see you guys later. **


	7. Can we be more?

The Family Wolf Inn, an odd name but it somehow seemed to fit the little building. The atmosphere was welcoming, the people were friendly, and the mead was warm. It had been three days in Demacia for the Mistress of lies and Profit of the void and it seemed waiting was all they had left for Kha'zix. They had been able to check on his body recently, the wound was healed, but the hunter seemed stuck in a coma. So they stayed, hidden in plain sight and anxiously waiting for a recovery.

This particular night, dark clouds had swirled and rain seemed to start without any warning and stop just as quickly, it was bad outside and patrons would occasionally come in to simply be out of the storm.

"And here's yours," Leblanc set the final drink down for the four men crowded around the table. Demacian bar maidens had far less reveling outfits than that of Noxus, another thing to be thankful for.

"Thank you darling," One of the men said and turned to his drinking companions. Leblanc silently cursed them for the lack of a tip but brushed it off and returned to the bartender, whom she now knew as Jacob.

"Good work Ana…" He eyed the men carefully. "You more than deserve a tip for all the work you put into for those hog monkeys."

"Thanks… Where's Nicholas?" She asked.

"Moving some crates for me, ale is getting bad."

"Well, I-"

"Hey! I'm out of mead over here!" One of the men called back to her and Leblanc felt herself cringe a bit.

"I'll be there in a minute," She called with forced kindness and Jacob placed a full mug in front of her to be delivered "Here you are," she drop the glass off and returned to Jacob.

"Don't worry about them, just being jerks." Jacob said when she returned, and Leblanc eyed the four another moment but returned to her work, she had others to attend to anyway. The night continued on, people walking in and stumbling out. Malzahar returned from the storm outside, his clothes wet and his face irritated.

"What's the status in here?" He turned to Jacob. "Better than outside I pray."

"Your sister has a knack for charming customers out of their money… She must be a friendly person."

"…Among all the words to describe her; that is not one that comes to mind…" Malzahar muttered more to himself as he watched Leblanc serves drinks in the disguised body she had given herself. "Is there any other labor you require of me?"

"Nah, have a seat, we should be closing the bar soon anyway." As Jacob predicted, the scene was winding down, to Leblanc's relief the four hooligans took their leave. There was only twenty minutes left in the working day when a final, hooded man burst in from the storm. His face was shadowed and he wore a long cloak to disguise the rest of his body. He quickly found a seat in front of Jacob, next to where Malzahar sat and patiently sat for a drink. "You look like hell boy, where you in from?" Jacob asked as he poured the man a drink.

"Not here." Was all the man answered and quietly sipped his drink. "I hear this is the favorite pub of the prince?" An odd question which caused Malzahar's ears to perk up.

"You'd be right; Prince Jarvan and lady Shyvana will always make an effort to stop when on leave from the institute of war." The shady man took another sip. "Were you hoping to meet him? I hear Demacia and Noxus are in heading to the fields of Justice next week, something about a mine?"

"Actually it's the Axura mine." This caught Leblanc's attention, the mine's name wasn't exactly public knowledge and she stood on the side of the man, opposite of Malzahar. "See, Noxus needs raw materials to add the finishing touches to a weapon of immense power, so if the prince were to say… Come down with a serious case of iron lung, that'd be a very fortunate occurrence for Noxus."

"What are getting at son?" Jacob looked a bit harder at the man. The man looked up from his hood with a sly grin and eyes that Leblanc knew all too well.

"Talon…" She whispered.

"Finally some recognition" Talon commented. Leblanc was grateful he did not recognize her, but she was horrified that he was in Demacia. "I'm telling you this because I'm going to kill all three of you and replace you with Noxus assassins, any objections?"

"Plenty" Jacob cocked a hand gun he had under his bar and Talon just menacingly laughed.

"Do you truly believe you can stop me with a hand gun?" His famous dagger slid out from his wrist and he rested it on the table. "Don't blink." Was all he said and in a fraction of a second he sent the blade at Jacob. Leblanc turned away and Jacob had shut his eyes, waiting for the pain to come, but when it didn't, he forced his eyes to peel open. There seemed to be a strange wall of purple energy blocking the blade's path from piercing his flesh, Talon recognized this energy, but was very confused by it. His eyes moved to where Malzahar sat next to him and he focused on this average man next to him.

"What is this?" Talon withdrew his blade and got in Malzahar's face.

"Ana… Remove Jacob and any others in this establishment from the vicinity," Malzahar ordered Leblanc.

"But I can-" She tried to protest.

"Do as you are commanded." Malzahar's voice once again rung with the anger of when she was held 'captive' by Draven and so she reluctantly obeyed.

"Come along then Jacob," She helped him out of the Inn.

"I've seen your power before," Talon questioned the man who was still calmly sitting in front of him. "You are another from the Void?" This sent Malzahar into a fit of laughter.

"No, not another," A Voidling spawned on his shoulder and hissed at Talon, who stood from his stool in response. Then the walls seemed to begin melting, everything started to become a dream sequence, dark and horrific; this spell, a Malefic Vision, was very familiar to Talon.

"You… You are Malzahar?"

"The very same" Malzahar stood from the bar stool and levitated as his eyes shined their brilliant white light. "Now leave this city, before I offer your bones to the Void."

"I saw you depart," Talon's eyes moved around the room as he tried to figure out why the priest was in this city and looking nothing like himself. "You left for Icathia five days ago, lady Leblanc with you." It was at this moment the Voidling latched onto Talon and started the jab its spike like hands into him. It was an annoyance at most, but it was enough to leave him open and Malzahar launched a burst of magical energy at him. Talon felt the magic burn his skin and send him back a bit. "I'll figure it out later, right now you're going to die."

"Do you truly believe you can kill me?"

"No…" Talon shifted his feet into a position, ready to strike "But I can put you down long enough to find that bartender and your girl."

"She is not mine!" Malzahar boomed and launched energy in all direction, Talon covering his eyes with his blade.

"Looks like I touched a nerve," He smirked and sent out his Rake attack. Glass shattered, wood snapped and the scene was overall chaotic, but Malzahar was unfazed by the blades and simply kept his eyes open as to where the assassin had gone. The blades returned to a center mass and formed into Talon, leaping towards Malzahar at top speed.

Leblanc saw an enormous purple flash shine through the inn's windows and she felt concern spread over her visage. She looked back to the group of four people who she escorted from the building, they appeared to be as entranced with the scene as she was, as another flash of purple broke through the windows. Slowly, other citizens on the streets noticed the lights and flocked to the scene.

Talon thrust his blade forward, Malzahar blocked with a wall of psychic energy and a Voidling from his shoulder countered by leaping onto Talon's face. Talon quickly threw the small creature to the ground and crushed it under his boot, only to be hit by another one of Malzahar's burst fire attacks in his shoulder.

"Why are you fighting me?" Talon held his injury. "Is Icathia in Demacia?"

"Do not be ridiculous, Icathia is on a plane of existence far outside this pitiful city."

"Then why? What do you care if Noxus wins the rights to this mine?"

"I…" Malzahar ceased the energy swelling in his hands. He came down from his levitation and thought about the events of the last days. "I do not know."He said to himself. "I do not care for this mine, the materials in it nor for these people." Talon wasn't expecting Malzahar to have a crisis of faith in the middle of combat, but thought it best to capitalize on this. He struck out one final time but felt his blade arm snag, a great, demonic arm had sprung from a void tear behind him to hold Talon in place.

"You thought to strike while I contemplate?" Malzahar questioned.

"…It seemed a good idea a moment ago…"

"But not any longer" And he placed his hand on Talon's forehead, surging with void nightmares. "Now you and I are going to talk."

Leblanc kept starring out to the Inn, showing more emotion than she'd prefer but she knew Talon and his skill in combat, she felt very justified in worrying over Malzahar. Jacob placed a hand on her shoulder, an oddly comforting gesture, but she kept looking for any sign that the Void Priest was okay.

"He's not your brother, is he?" Jacob spoke, Leblanc turned back with surprise and an objection, but the old man's kind smile left their no need to lie.

"He is not." She admitted.

Malzahar struck Talon once again. Talon let out a low grunt in response. "Noxus has a weapon, of astronomical power, but needs to be connected to the Void in order to be charged." He explain as Malzahar paced in front of him.

"How did they plan on obtaining such power?"

"I do not know." And Malzahar struck him again. "We are not told the missions of other agents for this very reason."

"Very well…" Malzahar continued to pace in front of his captive.

"Tell me; what have you done with the lady of lies? I do not see her in your company." Blood fell from his lips and nose as he said this.

"Leblanc? You are aware of her pilgrimage?" Internally, Talon was relieved to see she had not been discovered, though it disturbed him that he did not see her.

"Noxus misses her oh so badly, I thought if I killed you I could bring her back to her senses." He tried to cover his question with a lie.

"I will send you back to your Lords; do not let me catch you here again." Malzahar opened a tear in reality and kicked Talon through it. He'd end up in Noxus… Probably. Malzahar calmed his power to the point where he could disguise it again and exited the building.

"Nicholas!" He heard as soon as he closed the door behind him and he was wrapped by a woman's arms. He looked down to see the disguised Leblanc affectionately hugging his figure. "How dare you make me worry, I could have helped you." She said, releasing him.

"I was concerned you would hesitate while fighting a former ally. Regardless, I thank you for your concern." Jacob was next to arrive and pat Malzahar on the back. "I apologize for the décor, it is not in the state you left it in."

"No, I thank you a thousand times for fighting off that man. Not many would stand up to such a skilled assassin from Noxus. You saved my life with your magical gift. Demacia is always looking for more representatives in the league if you ever felt a higher calling." Malzahar brushed this comment aside and hadn't noticed the crowd of people that had flocked to the commotion he had created while fighting Talon. Demcians stepped forward to thank the hero, several were bold enough to hoist him on their shoulders and parade him around.

"What is this!? Put me down you fools!" Malzahar called, but his rants were drowned out by cheering in the streets. It was a small mob, twenty or so people, but it was enough to make a small reputation for himself. Leblanc simply stood off to the side, slightly chuckling at his reaction to the scene. This ceremony continued for a short duration, but it did subside… Eventually.


	8. Working Hard

**This is the first, I guess fluffy? Chapter I've written, it's... it was odd, the desired effect was to reintroduce Malzahar what being human was like, if you could let me know if I did that... That'd be fantastic. XP Anyway enjoy.**

Leblanc set down the bed sheet, back on the bed and flattened out a corner. It took an hour, but she had tidied the room. It was odd, that this gave her a sense of importance and relief, at least she and Malzahar would be sleeping in a clean place. She readjusted a vase and her eyes slowly grew in complete concern.

"What am I doing?" She asked herself. It had just occurred she was doing several things she hated, manual labor being among them! She was smiling too, smiling at… Nothing at all, there was nothing for her to be happy about. She was miles from home, surrounded by buffoons and her only company was a narcissistic priest who believed that everyone should bow down before him. Yet… 'Here she was and...'

Malzahar opened the door and quickly shut it behind him as he entered… 'There he was.'

"Escaped from your adoring public, have you?" She smiled and sat on her bed.

"I…" He placed a hand on the wardrobe to support himself. "I do not like this feeling, I never have had this after the fields of justice… What is this?" He stared at his hands and Leblanc could hear his labored breaths.

"You're just tired, probably from so many people praising your deed." She chuckled again.

"You find this amusing?"

"Absolutely, you brought me along to appeal for a more loving ruler no?" And Malzahar nodded. "Well, it appears I am no longer required to meet that end."

"I suppose I do not." Malzahar shrugged and Leblanc searched his face for any hint as to what he meant by this.

"Then… Shall I take my leave?" The air seemed to freeze for Leblanc. She found herself fearful, not for her mission, she just was genuinely fearful of losing his company. "Lord?" She desperately tried to break the silence, it was so apparent at this moment, Malzahar did not say anything, and he slowly turned to Leblanc.

"Is that what you desire?" Came his response and Leblanc didn't know what to do with this.

"I…" She began and Malzahar took a step towards her. "As I understand it…" Leblanc cursed her silver tongue for turning into led; she never had this much trouble speaking to anyone. Perhaps it was that Malzahar's garb revealed much of his toned and muscularly defined body, there was also the fact they were in a bedroom together, alone. This realization caused Leblanc to become slightly pinker than previously and she stared at the ground, completely abashed and getting more heated as Malzahar took another step towards her.

"Are you ill? You seem to be warmer than previously?"

"I… Require air." She said quickly and quickly walked to the door. She fully expected to be stopped, but Malzahar simply let her walk and noticeably lowered his head as she passed him.

Leblanc entered the light patter of the rain. It had not stopped since the beginning of the night but it had defiantly had slowed down. She found a small bench to rest on and sat, rubbing her forehead as she tried to correct her thoughts.

"Calm down…" She told herself. "He is simply attractive to the eye. That is all. Like a well rehearsed play." Which wasn't a lie, he was very muscular and something about his hair caught her attention as appealing, and his eyes were very alluring. His forceful personality seemed to ignite a passionate desire in her as well and… "This is not helping…" She muttered to herself. "We are nothing alike." She told herself in hopes to remove these thoughts from her head. "He's not even a man, just a shell of a man, who thinks the world can be saved by some hell of demons."

"Did I harm you?" Malzahar's voice came and Leblanc sat up straight on the bench.

"No." She quickly responded. "I simply wish to be alone."

"You do not appear to be yourself,"

"I am. Now leave me alone." She insisted, instead he took a seat next to her.

"You're lying." And Leblanc just heaved out a sigh.

"That obvious is it? I must be losing my touch."

"You are not. These people are completely unaware of our identity; you _are_ a master of lies." It seemed to be an attempt at a compliment, which was out of character for him, but she wasn't about to object to a kind gesture.

"Thank you,"

"Now tell me what troubles you, did Talon's presence unnerve you?"

"What? No. No, I'm glad you bashed him about, his cocky grin infuriates me." Silence followed in the light rain, Leblanc looked around the scene, and the rain was not cold, like she was so used to it being. It was warm, wet, and it was simply nice to feel against her skin, even though it was fake skin. Malzahar joined her in surveying the area and he almost appeared to be content. "It's beautiful tonight…" She said without thinking.

"It is indeed." He added and they sat there. Leblanc examined her current state, even though she was deceiving him, she wasn't hiding. She was out of society, her society at least; there was no standard she had to hold herself to, no one she had to kiss up to, and no one she had to talk down to just to make her way in the world. It was simply pleasant to sit on a bench and feel the rain with almost no pressure on her shoulders. "Where are you from?"

"Noxus?" She asked, confused by the question.

"Not materially, where do your values, your desires, your dreams, your pet peeves, your hatreds, you as a mortal, where are you from?"

"You are asking of my past?" Malzahar nodded at her question. "That is something I plan to tell to no one."

"Well, I could order you to reveal it to me,"

"My God, Malzahar? Did you just make a joke?"

"Was it effective?" And Leblanc thought for a moment. She had not spoken of her past to anyone, not even Swain. If anyone discovered the Black Rose's true purpose, her purpose, it could ruin everything she had planned since founding the organization. Part of her wanted to though, it was difficult to simply pin everything inside, pretend like the things that bother you don't and never celebrate the things you love, Malzahar did not speak to journalists and had very few friends, so if there was anyone she could discuss this with; he'd probably be the safest bet.

"…Very well, where shall I begin?"

"Describe the one who mothered you."

"I did not know her, I am the cause of her death."

"She died giving birth?"

"Indeed, my father never forgave me for it and I was condemned to an orphanage." She paused for him, but he said nothing so continuing seemed the reasonable thing to do. "There I met the most callous man on this plane of existence, the minister of this orphanage, he beat the children, broke the boys and assaulted the girls, I'd often leave to simply be away from his presence. On the streets of Noxus, I found humanity's truer self. I saw poor men labor for hours on end with nothing to show for it, rich men freely spend money on attractive poor women, and rich women shield these injustices from their children. As if they did not exist. As if the world would be perfect if one simply does not acknowledge all that is wrong, I found that humanity in itself is cruel, heartless and undeserving of the many blessings bestowed upon it. I also found my salvation on the streets there. An old gypsy woman, she was selling a staff." And Leblanc animated the staff she wields, affectionately wrapping her hands around its hilt. "The gypsy woman said she'd only give the staff to me if I used to change the world."

"And how do you plan on doing this?" Leblanc laughed a little at the question.

"That is not something I wish to discuss," Remembering she was still deceiving Malzahar, she couldn't let him know she still had an agenda with the Black Rose. "It is a past life and I do not wish to remember it." Malzahar simply gave a knowing nod.

"What of yourself? Where are you from?"

"Do you refer to the body I inhibit?"

"Are they not one in the same?"

"I was once a man by the name of Malzahar, but he is no longer in existence. Malzahar is a convenient title which others refer to me as, but the man is long since past. I have memories, but they mean nothing, I have pictures of a time past but they are worthless compared to the Void."

"What did the Void show you, exactly?"

"A perfect world, one without strife or conformity, with freedom and chaos, all things were as they should be and all had as they desired."

"That… Makes very little sense" Leblanc giggled and Malzahar laughed with her, to which Leblanc shot open her eyes in surprise. "Did you just…?"

"A God has the right to laugh." Malzahar tried to cover his tracks.

"I believe you should laugh more often, it may lead more followers to your doorstep."

"Is that how you amassed your organization? Laughing?"

"Oh Heavens no…"

"May I ask your methods?"

"More sexual intercourse than I care to recount…" Leblanc said and placed a finger to her chin as if she were counting. She turned back to Malzahar to see the most perplexed looked he'd ever given her. There was a quick moment of silence before the he let out a small chuckle; that grew into full laughter. It was Leblanc's turn to be perplexed, as she watched him continue to simply laugh at her remark. "Well… At least you knew I was not sincere…" Leblanc smiled as the laughter died down and Malzahar sat up with a curious look on the fake eyes she had given him.

"I…" He started and stopped. "Am at a loss for words,"

"I noticed," She watched him struggle with his words for awhile, beginning one, but ending before he gave it sound and she decided end his torment. "In regards to your previous question, I would appreciate the chance to… Accompany you further, despite my… Irrelevance" those seemed to be appropriate words.

"You're presence is acceptable, I-"Malzahar interrupted himself with a very audible yawn. "I despise this feeling"

"Aw, you're still tired then?" A smile played on her lips.

"My power simply feels… Drained, how do I cure this imparity?"

"By sleeping," Leblanc laughed at his lack of knowledge. "Come on then, I shall teach you." She led him by the hand back to their room.

Malzahar entered the room with a new sense as Leblanc let go of his hand. It seemed more… accepting than his previous entrance into the room. Leblanc waited by the bed as Malzahar examined the room again and again. "Have you changed this room?" Everything simply seemed to accept him, invite him, in. He cautiously stepped further into the room and made notes of the things he liked.

"I… Cleaned a little?" Leblanc offered.

"That must be it," He walked to the bed and simply collapsed on top of it. "This is not relaxing in any sense." Leblanc found herself giggling again, covering her mouth with her hand.

"No fool, stand back up," Malzahar floated up and back onto the ground.

"Now, you must sleep underneath the animal fur," And she tucked herself in. "Like such." Malzahar watched her moved under the fur, fairly close to her. When their bodies touched, Leblanc felt her blush return and she instinctively shoved him out and he landed on the floor with a thump.

"What is the meaning of this!?" He called.

"apologizes…" She stood up, off the bed. "Please realize that having one's body very close to another's is a sign of great affection."

"Ah," He understood now, "I offer my apologizes as well, I did not mean to convey such a feeling."

"I know… Just, try again on the other side of the bed." Malzahar obeyed and attempted to get comfortable on the other side.

"This is still incredibly uncomfortable." He remarked looking up from the bed.

"…Are you still wearing your garb?"

"Should I not be?"

"It's a general understanding that sleeping in one's clothes is not the most comfortable,"

"Then… What shall I wear?" Malzahar questioned and Leblanc removed their mirage disguises. He couldn't place it, but upon seeing Leblanc's true face once again was… elating.

"Most people have preferred sleeping wear, find what makes you comfortable." Leblanc removed her crown. "I would be grateful if you did not stare while I remove this." Malzahar didn't quite understand but got the message when she began unhooking her leather outfit and turned to face away from her.

"What do you sleep in?" Malzahar asked, trying to gain a sense of what he should wear.

"A gown" She answered.

"May I see it?"

"No." There was a moment of silence before Malzahar turned his back to her and she quickly tucked back under the fur. "Good night." She said, but left the candles in their room burning. Malzahar looked at what he was wearing and he removed the scarf that served as his hood, his gloves, and shoes. Now left with simply his sash, pants and top, he thought this may be enough to rest but found himself still uncomfortable. Removing his shirt proved to be the final necessity before he finally found a comfortable position and he looked over to Leblanc again, her body turned away from his, only showing off her violet hair. He watched her a moment longer before feeling his physic set in again and closed his eyes.

The sand whipped through the tent, as if the tension between the two manifested into a lash of sand."I cannot stay… Not while I can save her!" Malzahar shouted at him.

"She is dead. There is nothing that can be done."

"No, no you don't understand, there's a voice, in my head, it speaks to me, speaks of a place where I can save her!"

"Malzahar you speak madness, your mother is dead, and though I offer my sympathies for your loss, there is nothing that can be done for the dead."

"You don't understand. None of you do…"

"You have been a recluse ever since her death, what of Camilla? Your wedding was supposed to be weeks ago, please, the people need their profit back and some interaction with the public can help, this voice it is not real."

"IT IS REAL!" Malzahar snapped at his friend again. "I CAN SAVE HER! I have to try, damn Camilla, damn Father, damn you! None of you truly loved her if you're willing to surrender so easily. "

"I thought I could talk you down from this… But clearly you have been lost to madness, I'm sorry my friend, go. Follow your madness to your death."

Malzahar did not awaken with a gasp this time. These dreams were becoming more apparent and frequent, they were tedious and tiresome. He did not know these people or whose life he was witnessing. Then, there was the vision he had yesterday, it was clearly a future event, but the ones he witnessed in his dreams were of the past. There were far too many questions for him to try and answer, but whatever power was doing this to him, it must stop or it shall face his wrath.

"Hmm…." He heard next to him and turned his head to see Leblanc. She had shifted her position since they had first crawled into bed. She was now far more spread out on the bed and her arm was nearly touching Malzahar's. She moved once again and was now facing Malzahar completely, he looked upon her face with his illuminated eyes, making out every detail of her. Her skin was porcelain, and it seemed like she was a picture of perfection. Every detail was just as it should be, he never really noticed how beautiful she was, how vulnerable she looked in sleep. Her content look faded to a frown as she slept and she moved once again, even closer to Malzahar. He did not know if this was her intent, but it did not bother him. She still did not appear to be in any state of comfort, she looked so distressed which, from what he understood was not how sleep should be. She tossed again and her arm landed on his bare chest, Malzahar grew concerned at his, remembering her previous discussion of what this gesture meant. But she was asleep… Or was she? He didn't know, what he did know was she had begun to cling to him with her arm. Acting on a guess, he slid his arm beneath her and pulled her a tad closer, she in turned wrapped her second arm around his neck. He looked down to her and her face finally appeared to be warm and happy in this position. Malzahar could feel the 'gown' she adorned and beneath that, he felt the warmth of her body against his own. It was a very foreign feeling, but he found himself being content by this adjustment as well. "This is… Nice…" He spoke softly, Leblanc didn't respond, but a large exhale from her seemed to serve as an agreement.


	9. We still had a mission

**I live! Actually I was just in Memphis for a week, so I finished! Holy crap look at me, I finished. I wanted to put a shout out to ZocoLP in here. First review I got and someone who has constantly supported my work, I just wish I had more free time to read his stuff XD So you should, he's awesome and really kept me going with this when I thought about quitting. Anyway, enjoy this, I had a blast writing it.**

Leblanc let go of another breath and clung tighter to whatever she had was resting upon. Her head moved up and down, like she was sleeping on tides, whatever she had nestled into, it was the most comfortable sleep she'd had in some time. It was curious that she was sleeping at all, perhaps inn beds were much more comfortable than she initially judged them to be. The longer she stayed however, the more senses she began to come to. She felt the texture of what she clung to, smooth, like… skin. Her head moved in a rhythmic motion, like breaths. "Oh no…" She said before opening her eyes and saw she was asleep a top Malzahar. Her first inclination was to scream, but she took note of the man that lay beneath her. She'd never seen him in such little clothing, his eyes closed and content. His arms around her were strong, and his hair was messy, in a way that Leblanc could only swoon over. She placed her head back down, resting on his chest and let herself go again.

The sun had broken through the windows for some time now. Leblanc didn't know how tired Malzahar was, but it must have been a great amount for him to sleep so soundly. She decided it was time to get up and teleported out of his arms into the light filled room. She approached her dresser and began to silently get back into her combat outfit, but she stopped about half way through though and thought for a moment. "I hate this thing…" She thought and removed the straps again, finding some actual clothing to adorn.

Malzahar felt himself awaken; leaving his eyes closed, but no longer felt the warmth next to him and sat up in the bed. The light greeted his eyes and he was blinded for a moment before adjusting and taking in the room. He could hear a slight tune, as if someone was singing, it was a beautiful song, accompanied by running water, which was strange, he had not seen a river or any source of water since he had arrived in Demacia. He removed himself from the bed and began to listen closer to the singing, as the tune became lyrics, he felt the warmth of steam and the voice became more and more familiar.

"I was unaware you could sing so well," Malzahar laughed at her hidden talent.

"Gods!" Leblanc yelped "Do you have any concept of privacy?"

"Should I leave?"

"That'd be best, I am not clothed." She hastily ordered. She seemed very distressed about being without clothing, which Malzahar found odd, considering she never truly wore much anyway.

"Very well, come find me down stairs when you are done."

"I will, do not go out until I have focus on your disguise for a moment," She reminded him.

"Now you sound motherly," He joked.

"Oh and wipe behind your ears more often," She continued with his joke.

"Yes Dear"

"And buy me more jewelry,"

"As soon as you learn to cook a boar properly" They shared a light laughter and his mirage form took shape. "Shall we check on Kha'zix today?"

"Oh of course, I forgot about him, let us do that." The water shut off and Leblanc waited for his exit to get out of the shower.

Malzahar walked down the flight of stairs, it was nice that he got used to walking again, made things go by faster. He found his way to the tavern portion of the Inn where Jacob had somehow managed to clean all of last night's damages. The old man was currently standing behind the bar, rubbing away at a final glass. "Jacob," Malzahar called and the old man looked up.

"Nicholas!" He affectionately called back. "The hero of the Family Wolf, I didn't get a chance to thank you, so many others were doing it for me,"

"You are welcome," Malzahar bowed. "My stomach is pained, as if it is not whole… Do you have an ailment for this?"

"If you're hungry, just say so" Jacob chuckled. "I'll cook up something, don't go nowhere." Malzahar obeyed and took a stool in front of the counter. The warm sun felt good, it was almost as if he was freezing up until this point of his existence, but now, there was the sun.

Leblanc examined herself in the mirror, it had been awhile since she wore clothes that did not show off her figure. These Demacian clothes were simply comfortable. It was a comfortable dress, one she could move in, didn't show too much of her cleavage and shined with a lovely blue color. Hopefully Malzahar likes it… "Hopefully Malzahar likes it?" She spoke her thought aloud with confusion. "What do I care for what Malzahar thinks…" She played with her thoughts for a moment, finding a seat on the bed.

Malzahar took another bite of the cakes Jacob had placed in front of him, apparently they tasted better with the liquefied sugar, but to him, they tasted fine as they were. Malzahar looked around the inn for a moment, it was pleasant in the mornings, empty and quiet. He sipped down the milk that he had also been given, it was odd that before…. He felt deprived in his gut, but now, as he ate, he felt stronger. His meal finished, he began the new hobby of playing with the ring Leblanc had given him, it quickly became his favorite bobble, and whenever his thoughts drifted he found himself playing with it when he heard footsteps behind him coming down the stairs. He turned to see Leblanc, in altered form, but she looked very fetching in her current outfit. Her eyes rested on him as she tried to read his reaction.

"Hey," Was all she offered him and pulled some of her hair behind her ear. It was so informal, a very comfortable word that seemed to let Malzahar's shoulders lose their tension.

"Hello," He responded but she still appeared to be a little unsure of how he felt. "I enjoy your attire," He must have said the correct thing, since she gave a warm smile and bowed.

"Thank you, shall we visit our brother then?"

"I felt his mind stir while sitting here, he should be close to consciousness, hopefully we may leave this town soon,"

"Indeed," Leblanc agreed, though it was a lie.

"Jacob!" Malzahar called to the back and the stubby old man made an appearance.

"Enjoying those?" He smiled at Malzahar's empty plate.

"I did, thank you, Ana and I shall be leaving Demacia soon, and-"

"Yeah no one really works here for very long," Jacob smiled at the two and took out their pay for that day. "If you're in town again feel free to stop by, I'll pour you a glass on the house," Malzahar and Leblanc bowed to the old man, took their pay and turned to leave. "And Nicholas," He called one last time. "Do consider the League, Demacia could always use more heroes." To this, Malzahar did not say anything; he simply turned back, gave a thoughtful look and continued on his way out.

"Now that we are out of other's company…" Malzahar turned to her. "I wanted to repay you."

"For what?"

"This trinket." He held up the his hand that bore her gift to him.

"Oh, it was nothing really, I…" Malzahar held up a gift to her and Leblanc stared at it for a moment, it was wonderfully wrapped, and fitted with a ribbon, a lot of thought went into this gift. "Gods…" She whispered in awe and took the gift. "You wrapped this?"

"No, the slave behind the counter did, but she said it would be better with a ribbon, why I have no idea." Leblanc fiddled with the wrapping for a bit, slowly peeling it off to reveal a jewel box. She opened the small box to reveal a simple silver chain. It gleamed in the sun, and captivated her eye, which was incredibly odd. She had silver chains, rooms full, suitors trying to make her swoon with their money, in all logical sense, it was a terrible gift for a rich woman such as herself. However it wasn't, because Malzahar had no intention of concurring her womanhood, he simply wanted to do something nice for her, as she'd done for him.

"I love it." She said with a smile and extracted it from the box. "Will you assist me in putting it on?" She pulled it around her neck and turned around. Malzahar felt his hands go clumsy as her worked to hook the chain up, which he succeeded at, eventually. She turned back around he met her smile with his own. "How do I look?"

"Stunning."

The two walked down the streets of Demacia for what felt to be the last time, they watched the people, the buildings, taking note of all of it, it was like saying goodbye to a vacation neither knew they needed, and they didn't even know if Kha'zix was up and about yet. Every so often, their hands would touch; they would quickly retract their hands and then dangle them next to one another again. Malzahar extended his pinky out and felt it against Leblanc's, she didn't back away and from the pinky it evolved into their fingers and then their hands fully grasped one another. Neither said anything, simply continued to walk towards the medical ward. "I'll miss it," Leblanc said watching the stone roads beneath her feet.

"The city?" He watched the clock tower ahead of them strike another hour.

"Among other things,"

"What else shall you miss?"

"… The atmosphere," She thought. "The people, the sense of freedom, the…"

"The beds," Malzahar laughed.

"Oh yes, the beds were by far the most memorable aspects of this entire experience, and we cannot forget the smell of fish that seemed to be omnipresent in our sleep."

"Fish? No, I thought it far more resembled the smell of crushed dreams and orphan tears,"

"Or perhaps the burning of young romances,"

"The death of honor in a soldier,"

"Or…"

"It may have been simply fish." He finished her sentence. Leblanc was impressed, more than impressed, she was having fun in a discussion. It was rare people could keep up with her sense of sarcasm, but Malzahar was effortlessly doing it. She moved from holding his hand to wrapping herself around his arm, the way a young maiden would, and when Malzahar did not reject her, she felt content to stay.

The medical ward came into view soon enough, and they approached it continuing their conversation about nothing at all really, when they spied the medical ward where they had left Kha'zix. Only, the doors were bared, men in armor stood at every corner of the institution, Malzahar began to grow concerned that Kha'zix had been discovered. "Excuse me," One of the men in armor spoke up to them and Leblanc unhooked herself from Malzahar's side. "Excuse me, did you have a friend here?"

"A brother, yes" Leblanc answered for him.

"All patients that made it out alive have been transferred across town, I have a carriage coming to move some other families if you want to go with them."

"Out alive?" Leblanc continued. "Did something happen?"

"Apparently one of the patients in a coma woke up about an hour ago, he freaked out a started killing everyone, we got here in time to save a lot of people but the Arcane Master and Head Doctor were killed." Malzahar looked at Leblanc and she quickly glanced back.

"Thank you officer, we must be going now."

"Stay safe." Were his parting words, Malzahar led Leblanc into an ally where they would not be overheard.

"Is it Kha'zix?" She asked.

"Of course it is… There is not anyone else it could be. Now we must find him."

"Agreed, can we track him?"

"I can sense his presence, he has not left the city, but he is moving, and fast."

"You search for him, I will examine these witnesses, and see if I can pick anything up."

"A reasonable plan, I will meet you back here in an hour."

The search for the Void hunter proved to be more difficult than either hoped or expected. The people around the scene of Kha'zix's break out were about as useful as a plank of wood, Leblanc asked everyone from captain to toddler but no one seemed to see anything. No doubt thanks to Kha'zix ultimate ability… She expanded her search to the neighboring buildings and shops but they only spoke of a shadowy figure and no real direction which it went. Malzahar had more luck but still little success, he sensed Kha'zix but every time he felt close, Kha'zix would move again.

His hour to search was nearly up and Malzahar started to walk back to where he began his search, back to the medical ward. As he walked, he felt something surge through him. "Kha'zix…" He said to himself and turned back, trying to focus where he felt it. "…The Family Wolf…" He said to himself and took off in that direction.

Leblanc had grown frustrated with her results and was walking back when Malzahar whipped past her, running faster than she knew he could. "Nicholas?" She asked after him.

"Follow!" He shouted and she quickly fell behind him.

"Where are we going?"

"I feel him! He's at the Family Wolf!"

"Wonderful…" For a day that had such fair weather, Leblanc felt her day turn sour rather quickly. The jingle of her necklace brightened her thoughts a little. Malzahar stopped at the doors to the Inn and waited for Leblanc to catch up, which wasn't a long wait.

"Kha'zix!" Malzahar burst open the door. Two dead men lay in front of the entrance, their flesh ripped open by claws and teeth.

"Nicholas!" Jacob's voice came from up on the bar, the body Leblanc had given Kha'zix had the bar tender held in the air. "Thank the King you came."

"Quiet wretch!" Kha'zix snapped. "I smell the profit on you! Tell me where he has gone!" Jacob turned to Malzahar and Leblanc.

"He is out of his mind!"

"So he is…" Leblanc said. "Kha'zix, would you like to look normal again?"

"Very much so, but who are you two?"

"Drop the man and find out." Malzahar finished her thought and Kha'zix obeyed. With a quick snap, the disguises Leblanc held around all three of them began to fade. Each in their associated combat garments and Leblanc felt her staff manifest in her hand.

"Malzahar, there you are." Kha'zix hopped off the bar and approached the two with an ominous step. "Why did you look like a pathetic mortal a few moments ago?"

"It was a disguise while your wounds healed. We had to blend in."

"Ah, of course, but I am healed now, and we can move on… Yes?"

"Yes of course, cease your killing will you?" Leblanc spoke up.

"Do not address me wench." Kha'zix threateningly stepped towards her but Malzahar stepped in front of her.

"Stand down Hunter."

"I am worried for Priest. The Void spoke to me recently, it says you have fallen silent, you have stopped asking for guidance, tell me, do you believe yourself above the Void?"

"Of course not."

"Good," Kha'zix smiled and turned back to Jacob. "I will kill this man and we can be on our way."

"No!" Malzahar called out and threw a shield of Void energy over Jacob. "We are departing now, there is no need to kill this man."

"He is a witness, he will tell our enemies where we are!" Kha'zix snapped back.

"You will not harm him!" Malzahar shouted and lit his hands with a brilliant violet light that covered the Void Hunter.

"You…" Kha'zix began. "Have lost your power Priest…" And the Hunter shook off the magic, swiftly raising his claw and slicing Jacob's head clean off. Leblanc felt her very being lose spirit and she clasped her hands around her mouth.

"No…" Was all she was able to let out and ran to his corpse. 'I should've replaced him with a double…' she silently scolded herself. 'damnit… I will not cry over this…' She continued her mental reprimanding of herself, but Malzahar stayed silent.

"There!" Malzahar shouted. "You have killed the innocent man. Can we depart now?"

"You seemed distraught, did you care for this man?" Malzahar was silent. "Because you know, you don't need any one, you, yourself has said how all you need is the Void no?" Kha'zix crept towards him. "Or have you forsaken that law of the Void as well?" At this point Kha'zix was right in Malzahar's face and Malzahar could not meet the Hunter's eyes.

"Let us be off…" Malzahar turned back to the door.

"A plan first, Malzahar." Kha'zix called. "Icathia waits for no man. Not even you, so tell me how you plan on recovering the three days that we have missed in this pitiful city, we only have two days until it disappears again."

"I will find a way." Malzahar assured.

"I do not believe you." Kha'zix came again.

"Malzahar can teleport, no?" Leblanc spoke. "Could he not simply do that for us?"

"Icathia emits a strange energy that disrupts my magic, I could not guarantee we'd end up in this realm." Malzahar explained.

"How close could you get us?" Malzahar thought for a moment.

"Morgon's pass perhaps, but no further."

"That saves us a day, I believe it would be worth it." Kha'zix spoke, "Prepare the portal." and Malzahar did so.


	10. Memories of Shurima

**This chapter felt... Really fast? I guess I was too excited about the ending, it feels like I short chapter, I think I could've spent more time in Shurima, but... They're just walking... How freaking exciting is that?**

Leblanc felt her feet hit against solid ground after falling for a short time. She still had a mission to perform for Noxus, she was simply unsure whether or not she should actually follow through with it. Malzahar examined where they were and looked out to the sun above their heads.

"We have ten hours left in this day, four in the next, we must reach Icathia before sunrise tomorrow." Malzahar ordered and began walking down the steps of Morgon's pass, towards Shurima and the others followed. It took roughly an hour to scale down the pass and that was all the time Leblanc needed to remember why she hated this mission with a fiery passion. Walking sucks. What made it worse was, Malzahar seemed to be back in his previous mental position, she was stuck walking behind Kha'zix, and he walked ahead of her. Walked… He was walking? Not floating like he previously had been, perhaps, something in Demacia did affect him.

Malzahar stepped onto the warm sand, he felt the heat from his boots and remembered his first journey across Shurima. He stared out into the sands, a wind blew some of the sand along, but for the most part, it was a baron wasteland and the only thing between him and Icathia. As he stared, he saw a woman, dressed in white run across the sands, she was beautiful, her hair long and dark and she seemed to float across the sands. It was either a trick from the Void, or his mind, he did not know which was worse, but he was still sane enough to know it was not a real image. "Let's move." He ordered and led his company across the sands.

It did not take long for Leblanc to believe they were lost, but Malzahar continued on, never flinching from the path he chose. She tried to catch a glimpse of him, his face, the way he walked, an occasional look back at her. Anything that would indicate that she still mattered to him, or… If she ever did, the evidence was strong that she did, but she never had anything solid and now, back on the path for Icathia, he seemed as distant as when they started this journey.

They walked for a large portion of the day, or what was left of the day, Leblanc felt herself slowly falling into sleep but that did not stop the other two from trudging forward. Malzahar walked up a high sand dune, but at the top, he felt the sand start to slip away from under his foot and he fell. As if he forgot about his ability of levitation, he rolled down the hill until he hit the bottom, Leblanc and Kha'zix swiftly joining him. Malzahar picked himself up and dusted off his garments, Leblanc moved to help, but he quickly swatted her away and continued walking. It was, a very painful experience for her.

The minutes quickly became hours, and Leblanc felt herself dreading the sun's rays more and more, until it finally began to set. Then, Malzahar and Kha'zix stopped, no reason, no words, they simply stopped and Leblanc moved around Kha'zix to see. See an army of tents, their fabric torn and color faded, it was once a village, but now it was only a ruin. Malzahar stared out at it, looking almost baffled.

"Is this Icathia?" Leblanc spoke and Kha'zix snarled to shush her.

"No…I do not know this place…" A flash blinded Malzahar and he reopened his eyes to see the tents completely restored, children running by them, another flash and they returned to their decaying state. "But this places knows me…"

"Malzahar we do not have time for this," Kha'zix lectured. "We should move on before… Huh!" Kha'zix cried as a bolt of energy slammed into him.

"Power Slam!" They heard as Kha'zix quickly recovered onto his feet.

"Fantastic…" Leblanc muttered and looked where the bolt came from. Running down the hill came Jayce, Vi and Caitlyn, three people she'd prefer not to see anywhere, especially here.

"I guess Zilean wasn't lying," She heard Vi say, and the three gathered in front of them.

"What business have you here?" Malzahar spoke.

"We're gonna kick your ass." Vi answered with a shrug and put up her fists.

"We're not in the League," Leblanc said. "If you die here, you will perish. Think on that before you engage in this battle."

"I think best with my fists!" Vi called and charged at Malzahar, only to be tackled to the ground by Kha'zix.

"Leblanc, kill the sniper." Malzahar ordered and Leblanc nodded, but did not move as a bullet passed through her skull. A mirror image. Malzahar looked at Jayce, charging at a disturbing rate and readied his power.

Caitlyn watched the battle through her scope, honing in on Kha'zix, battling with Vi. "Watching your girlfriend's ass again?" Leblanc voice came and Caitlyn looked up in time to see Leblanc Distortion charge knock her away from her gun. "There we are." Leblanc placed her foot on top of the gun and looked at Caitlyn menacingly.

"I don't need a gun to kill you." She said and pulled a small knife from her boot.

Jayce swung his hammer, Malzahar floated to dodge and fired off a bolt. Only to be blocked by a field of electricity. "For such a magical guy, you're pretty strong," Jayce said with labored breath.

"I pride myself on killing fools such as yourself." He launched another bolt at him, Jayce did his best to move out of the way, but it clipped his shoulder. Switching the gun mode, Jayce began wildly firing off shots at Malzahar, who summoned a Voidling, preparing for his next attack.

Caitlyn was not as skilled in hand to hand as other, but she was enough to keep Leblanc on her guard, blocking the knife with her staff and using magic as her main offensive movement. Caitlyn swung the knife and Leblanc met it half way, their faces meeting in the middle of their weapons when Caitlyn swung her leg and knocked Leblanc off her feet, allowing Caitlyn to once again hold her weapon and quickly fire off a shot at Leblanc, only to hit another mirror image. "Damnit…" She cursed and looked again for the true Leblanc. A Sigil of Silence came from the sands and a Distortion followed. Caitlyn hit the sand and hard, it was difficult to stand back up but she managed to do it.

Jayce went to the skies on Malzahar who countered by blasting him in the air. Jayce recovered his footing and charged again, smashing a Voidling in his path and moving faster than Malzahar was used to. Jayce got close and sent his hammer right into Malzahar's ribs, causing him to lose his breath but not his will to fight and he cast a nightmare on the man. Distracted, he shot another bolt at Jayce, sending him to the ground. Vi was sent flying over Malzahar and she crashed into the sand, kicking a lot of it in the air, with Kha'zix triumphantly skulking towards her. "Finish him Priest." Kha'zix snarled and Malzahar knew he was right in his words, it was want the Void would want and he readied a bolt in his hands.

A flash of light went off in his eyes and Jayce became the man he argued with in his dream, the one who gave up on him, when he snapped about saving a woman. He knew his face and memories of this person came back to him. "Stop," Someone called and Malzahar looked up. The woman in white was standing before him, "You are not a puppet," She stood in front of the unconscious body, he knew her face from his dreams as well, he had laid with this woman, he had loved her, but did not know her face. He violently picked her up by the throat and held her in the air.

"WHO ARE YOU!?" He snapped and a blinding light filled his vision again. When he regained his vision, he was holding Leblanc, and immediately dropped her as she gasped for breath.

"What the hell?" She coughed up. Terrified, of what he had done, he fell to one knee to examine her.

"Are you okay?" He extended his hand to her.

"No, of course I am not," She batted his hand away. "You choked me!"

"I…" Malzahar didn't know what to say and he stumbled to his feet. "Kha'zix!" He cried out. "Don't kill…" As if knowing the Hunter's intentions without seeing them.

"Stop!" He yelled and tried to hide his face from the sun.

Malzahar was seeing different worlds in his eyes, he saw the ruins come alive then fall to pieces again. Faces, people, places, everything was changing then changing back. He was trying to keep up but couldn't, his eyes began to shine brighter than ever before and his head began to burn until, it all went black.

Leblanc watched as her friend collapsed on the ground, face first onto the sand. Vi, Jayce and Caitlyn had been defeated, and Leblanc was able to move each of their true bodies away from Kha'zix's hungry eyes. She moved over his body, the majority of her held a grudge for choking her, the other part only felt concern flood over it. She flipped his body over to see his closed eyes. His breathes were slow and calm, it appeared he had fallen asleep, but in such a violent way, it was worthy of concern.

"What happened to him?" Kha'zix questioned.

"I do not know," She responded. "I will tend to him until he awakens."

"See that you do," When the words finished, a gunshot ran through the skies. Both looked up to see the wielder, a lone figure walking the sands and slowly approaching them. "Reveal yourself!" Kha'zix hissed.

"I was very hopeful those three would take you down…" The man said and Leblanc felt herself shutter with fear.

"Face me coward!" Kha'zix charged at the man.

"No!" Leblanc called after but he was gone. The figure transformed into a great raven and grabbed Kha'zix by the throat, throwing him into the sand with enough force to form a small crater. "Swain…" Leblanc whispered over Malzahar's body.

"I have good news, Leblanc." Swain transformed back into a man. "We no longer need Icathia."

"That is a blessing," She laughed a little, Swain was over her now and she stood to meet him.

"Yes, truly all we need is this man." He poked Malzahar's body with his cane.

"Malzahar?"

"Yes, Katarina and Talon have been tracking you two since his encounter with the man. He has enough energy flowing through his body."

"Well, I suppose I should have expected as much…"

"Indeed," Swain said and a great tank burst from the sands. It made Cho'gath look like a gecko as steam spewed out of every tube possible. Its canon alone seemed to be the size of several men and it had been below them this entire time. Drilling its way around undetected, it truly was a devastating weapon, bearing Noxus colors and waving a Noxus flag. "This little man here, can power that great canon for at least two shots, and that is all we shall need."

"To do what?"

"Destroy Demacia and Ionia. Fast enough that the League will only be able to reprimand us, stopping us would be an impossibility." Leblanc remained composed at this information. But nothing could have crippled her more. "You do not sound as if you are rejoicing." Swain commented.

"I… What of my Black Rose operatives?"

"Ah…" Swain turned back to the tank. "Well, the way Draven, and I admit he has his merits to this claim, you truly failed at your task,"

"What?"

"You were tasked with finding Icathia, but…. Where is this great city?"

"I… My mission is void of necessity now, but you must understand how much effort I put into this,"

"I have reports of you, growing affectionate for this…" Swain kicked Malzahar with his good leg. "Thing."

"It…" Leblanc was losing her head and quickly. "A ploy, that was all, I needed to keep him around my finger,"

"Then," Swain held out his hand. "Give me your chain, I will give you one twice as grand." Leblanc fell back a little at his request. Swain just gave her a knowing look and kept his hand extended.

"I… I like it," She fiddled with the chain.

"Of course you do," The tank dropped open a grand door and Noxus troops poured out. "Then I hope you also enjoy a cell very close to his." The troops picked up Kha'zix's body and moved back onto the ship, several of them staying behind to keep an eye on Leblanc. They tried to apprehend her, only to have their bindings fall through the mirror image. "Oh great Noxus," Swain complained and swung his cane around, almost blindly and his cane collided with Leblanc's head. "A predictable Mistress of Lies is a useless Mistress of Lies…" He said before Leblanc fell out of consciousness.


	11. Love and Big Explosions

Malzahar lazily flickered one eye open, before shutting it again. He tried again to force himself awake, but failed again, a third time he tried and sent both his eyes open wide to nothing but white above him. Startled, he sat up and observed the room, it all had a similar whiteness to it. Almost angelic like, he got to his feet and began examining every inch of this place, it was all very strange…

"Hello…" A voice rang through his ears, it was echoed, almost as if its owner was fleeting. He looked around for a source but found none. "I missed you…"

"Who are you? Why are you tormenting me?"

"You always were very curious… And very ambitious."

"What do you know of me?"

"Everything." The voice manifested into the woman he had seen Leblanc as, looking kind and gentle towards him.

"Who are you?" He asked again.

"I am Camilla," She introduced herself. "Your bride to be, or I was,"

"Was?"

"You left me; you left all of us, to follow a voice in your head."

"The voice was my salvation." He affirmed.

"Truly? Then, tell me, why did you seek after the voice?"

"To further my power as a seer" But Camilla frowned at this answer.

"You see? He has no memory." Another voice spoke and it manifested as the man he saw Jayce as lying on the ground. "Hello my friend."

"I am no friend of yours." Malzahar backed away from the two.

"I am Haman, I was your best friend, and you killed me on your search for this power."

"Why are you presenting me with this knowledge? I do not care who I once was."

"But you do, you do because of her." A milky image of Leblanc manifested behind them. "She reminds you of what you are." Malzahar looked at them clueless as to what they were getting at. "A mere man."

"I am not a…" He cut his sentence off. He had responded to this question in a similar way so many times, he forgot that he was giving an incorrect answer. He was not a God. "I am a man, but I hold power few do."

"True…" The two shadows of his friends looked at each other, as if Malzahar had done something correctly. "You sought the voice's guidance when your Mother died, you were a very devoted son."

"But she had been dead several days by the time you had heard such news." Haman picked up. "The voice seemed to be your only salvation."

"As it was." Malzahar affirmed.

"Was it? Your mother lies cold in her grave still, you failed at your task."

"No, I…" Memories started to become clear where they were once blurry. He remembered leaving his home, how multitudes who relied on his visions begged him to stay. How he promised each and every one of them he would return. How his best friend stepped in his path to stop him, and he struck him down for it. How his fiancé was the last one to call out to him before he was gone forever. She trudged through the sand for days to find him, and he did not even acknowledge her. "I'm so sorry…" Malzahar fell to his knees.

"It is alright friend." Haman extended his hand.

"We can let you go back," Camilla spoke. "You can come back with us, this nightmare can never happen."

"What?" He looked up and a vision of his future in Shurima flashed through his eyes.

"You can go back, but you would lose your power" Haman said but as he said it, dark shadows coated their bodies. As if they were cocoons, the shadows of his friends morphed into something dark and twisted. Wings sprang from the darkness, fangs, claws, hideous beings appeared before him and showed him a different future. One where the populous feared his rule, and he lived as a God among men.

"Or, you can continue on your current path, follow the darkness into oblivion. You will keep your power, but you will never control it."

"These are the choices fate has put upon you, now you must choose." The creatures spoke and Malzahar looked up at the two, the two futures manifesting in portal like auras next to each. He stared at them with unsure eyes, staring into each, weighing what the future he wants is, and what fate wanted for him.

Leblanc sat in her cell, cold and silently bashing herself for all the things she could have done differently. "Never should have taken this mission…" She grumbled. "Or, I should've stayed on target, stayed to the objective, not let my damned feelings get in the way, should've just given him my necklace, I have tons of silver chains. Why didn't I just… Follow through with the plan?" All these questions she knew the answer to, but she just didn't want to believe that she would fall for such a pathetic downfall. "He isn't that great…" She told herself. "Swain is far closer to my standards, Malzahar is… Egotistical and… Foolish, and, nothing like I want…" She continued to talk herself out of it to little avail. "I should just, go apologize for my weakness and continue with the Black Rose, forget Swain, forget Noxus, I can start up again in Zaun and forget…" She couldn't hide it anymore. "I can't forget him… He's… Intelligent, strong, and… Kind to me, he is simply kind to me. So very few actually are…"

"Hey, I take offense to that!" A familiar voice called into her cell, but it couldn't be…

"Gaige?" Leblanc looked up from her huddled position to see the Yordle standing before her, keys in hand. Leblanc stood with excitement and looked around for the guard. "Did you seduce him?" Her tone was a mixture of amusement and impressed.

"I wish I was that good…" Gaige hummed and unlocked her gate. "No, I just shot him with a crossbow."

"That works as well. How did you find me?"

"You said keep an eye on Noxus, so I did, when this tank left I thought it'd be a good idea to hop on. Seeing as I was right, I'm pretty proud."

"Oh you beautiful Yordle!" Leblanc hugged Gaige to her chest,

"Mistress? Are you… Emoting?" Gaige chuckled when Leblanc let her down.

"I am." Leblanc smiled.

"Is it a boy? Oh my god, did you sleep with someone?"

"What? No, well… Yes it is a man, but we have not had intercourse." Gaige perked up at this news.

"Oh Mistress, that's wonderful! You must tell me all about him."

"I will, first we must find him, he is to be used as the power source for this weapon, and I will not leave him to die here."

"Hell yeah! Rescue mission go!"

"Where is my staff?"

"Oh, I saw some guys taking it to a closet up stairs, come on I'll show you."

Malzahar looked at Camilla, she stood with a pleasant smile and extended hand while on the right stood Haman, morphed and twisted into some nightmare with an equally stretched hand. On the left, a future of peace and comfort, the right, a life of power and glory, with neither seeming as something he would actually enjoy, but he could not figure out why. Both futures had aspects that entertained him, but neither truly captured his interest, until he remembered the milky image of Leblanc the spirits had presented to him.

"What of Leblanc?" He asked the two.

"What of her?" Camilla responded. "I will tend to your every need, your every fantasy." She smiled seductively.

"She will die in this future, your ascension will require sacrifice and she will be honored for hers."

"These are my only options?"

"These are the options fate has provided for you. Now choose!" The demon's voice roared.

Leblanc sorted through the relics locker, throwing away items that may have been worth a fortune, but she only had need of one item. She looked outside to see her mirror image still successfully entertaining the guard while she sorted. "Pig…" Leblanc commented.

"I got it!" Gaige burst from a pile of relics. "Catch," She threw the staff but it only floated into Leblanc's hands.

"Do you know where the gun's main battery is located?"

"eleventh floor down, fourth door on the left."

"…How did you know that?"

"I spent a week on this damned thing, I thought I might as well memorize a map or two, now let's go save your lover boy!"

"Please stop calling him that…"

"There must be more options." Malzahar protested.

"Do not question fate." The two said in unison. "These are your choices!"

Gaige fired off a cross bow bolt and rifled two guards through their helmets while the others felt chains bind their feet to the ground. "It's like fish in a barrel!" She cried and shot down the rest of them. One guard found his way behind the two, striking with his knife. Only to hit the ground at the false images "Better luck next time," Gaige said on top of him on fired a bolt into his brain. Leblanc manifested next to her and gave a slight wave. "Where'd you run off to? We still have six decks of guards to fight through!"

"I diverted their attention… The barrier that hid this magical energy has fallen, the League will find this weapon in moments." She said playfully. "There will be other players joining this game soon, we must move faster."

"Hell yeah!" She loaded another bolt.

"You cannot tell me I am mortal, I am weak and then rip the woman I value above all else away from me!" Malzahar protested.

"You forgot about her so easily in the dessert, would that be so hard now?" Camilla teased.

"I never forgot! I was stupid, I thought the Void would accept her, as it did me, but the Void lied, you said so yourselves! I want nothing to do with the Void, not anymore!"

"Then you chose my path?"

"No" He snapped at Camilla.

"Every moment you are here your body dies." Haman spoke. "You must choose soon or you will have no choice what so ever! Join the Void and rule for eternity!"

"Take back your old life, remember who you once were and leave this life behind."

"Another one down!" Gaige cheered. "Aren't Noxus soldiers supposed to be badass?"

"These are engineers darling," Leblanc obliterated a man with a magical swing. "They have as much combat training as a sofa."

"Makes it easier for us," She laughed. "We're on deck eleven; all we have to do is-" A large crash stopped them and they slowly turned around.

"This… Is where your path ends."

"Urgot…" Leblanc said in his shadow.

"I was always curious what your head would look like on a pike Leblanc, I'm glad I have this opportunity to do so."

"I got this guy" Gaige flashed a cocky smile and loaded a bolt.

"Gaige, he is a champion, there is no way you can beat him."

"I never said I could beat him," She laughed. "Go get lover boy, I'll give you two some privacy."

"You truly are crazy," Leblanc laughed at her friend.

"No question." Gaige agreed and dodged Urgot's claw, crashing down on her. Leblanc left an image to distract Urgot and ran for the door Gaige had pointed out.

"Time is up Malzahar, what do you say?"

"Do not defy fate."

"Fate…" Malzahar shook his head.

"Choose a new life,"

"Or a past one."

"What has fate ever done for me?" He menacingly spoke. "Fate has bound me, I have always seen others fates, I have assisted in preventing great tragedy and caused great loss, but I never could see my fate. Fate is for those too weak to make their own destiny." Malzahar felt energy surge through his body, Void energy but it felt different, it wasn't being relayed through him, he was creating it. "I am not a puppet! I do not want a new life or a past one." Malzahar began floating in the air, green energy coursing through each of his hands. "I WANT THIS ONE!" He slammed his hands together and blinding light filled every corner of his vision.


	12. Slight Epilogue thing

Leblanc saw Malzahar's broken body at the end of the room, encased in a glass cell, as if he were a light bulb, wires strung down from every corner, Leblanc had no idea what they were for, simply that they must go. She ran to the glass cell and looked in on Malzahar, laying in a corner, still unconscious and felt relief that he was not a smoldering pile of energy. She touched the glass and phased through it, approaching the body and kneeling next to it. She felt his chest, at first she felt the beating of a heart, it was slow but it was there. As she continued to feel his warmth though, the beats got slower, and slower still. His breath became less frequent and Leblanc began panicking. She had no medicine, no healing magic, nothing to keep him breathing, it was one of the few times she felt powerless as Malzahar let his final breath go. The beats stopped, the breathing stopped, his body seemed all but dead. "Come on… You're tougher than that…" She whispered to him, her voice was low, and caring. "Don't… Don't you leave me," She whispered again. "I can't… I don't want to… Don't you dare leave me!" She felt water began to come up in her eyes. "God damnit Wake up!" She cried out and let a tear slip. "Don't leave me… Please, please don't leave me…" She felt the tears start flowing down her face. "… I love you…" Was all she could say, it was the first time she'd told anybody that, let alone a dead man. She fell beside his limp body and snuggled into his chest, wrapping his arm around her, as if it would bring him back somehow.

"Aw, that is precious…" Swain's voice came and Leblanc looked up. "I must admit it is too bad he is dead, now it seems he only relays enough energy to fire a single shot, but that is all I need to destroy Demacia, now I will only offer this once, climb out of that conductor and stand by me, we can witness Demacia's destruction together."

"Go fuck yourself…" She growled.

"A pity, you know I always thought we could rule together, you are my intellectual equal after all, who better than you to mother my children?" Leblanc said nothing to this and just turned away from Swain. "Fire when ready," He spoke to the guards that followed him in.

Leblanc remained motionless with Malzahar, waiting for whatever was to happen, happen. She clutched his arm closer to her, waiting for the end. As she sat there, she felt a pulse of energy rush through her. Her first thought was this was the gun warming up, but nothing would indicate such, warmth could once again be felt in Malzahar's arm, and she looked up to him. His purple and blue garments began changing around her, what was once purple became white, what was once blue became black and his scarves became a brilliant gold color. Green energy encompassed the room, Leblanc felt as if she was watching the night sky again as the room fell dark, only the green lights remaining. The green energy directed itself into Malzahar and all went dark. Leblanc felt herself stand up in shock when the light came back, Malzahar batted his eyes for a moment, before they shot open, radiating with green essence and he released a burst of energy to shatter the glass cage.

"I have defied Fate!" He announced with a roar.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised," She laughed, the tears running down her face were still seeable and Malzahar quickly wiped them away.

"I missed you," He pulled his scarf down below his chin.

"I thought you were dead…" She admitted before Malzahar picked her chin up and kissed her, with more passion and feeling than she had ever felt in a man. It was absolutely enthralling and she never wanted to break the moment. It was a long moment, but it did end, Leblanc happily looking into his eyes and him staring back, or she guessed he was, hard to tell without pupils and his arms wrapped around his waist. "We should… Probably escape now," She laughed

"That would be the logical thing to do… Which way is out?"

"This way!" Gaige's voice rang to them and they saw the little Yordle running as fast as she could from Urgot.

"I will remove him." Malzahar said and floated after Gaige. It took a single shot to blast the headsman down for the count and Malzahar led Leblanc over his unconscious body. "Has there been any sign of Kha'zix?" He asked the two.

"Giant bug guy?" Gaige asked.

"That'd be him," Leblanc chuckled.

"He killed a few guards then ran out, haven't seen him anywhere on the tank since."

"Sounds like Kha'zix…" Malzahar muttered. The three moved through the tank without much difficulty, Leblanc and Gaige simply mopped up anyone Malzahar had missed until they reached a hangar door, full of Noxus tanks and war machines.

"This will probably be our best bet." Gaige said and moved to the door control.

"No!" Swain called to them, catching all three by surprise. "You will not destroy all I have worked for, you will not leave here alive!"

"Do you really think you can take all three of us?" Gaige smirked.

"No, but I know that door will not open, and this vehicle will explode within a few more minutes we are currently on the way to Demacia, what the canon cannot do, this tank will. I don't need to kill you, just keep you around." He called and morphed into his raven form.

"Gaige, work on getting that door open, Malzahar, stop this thing! I will deal with Swain." Leblanc ordered and Gaige got to it as Malzahar flew out of the hangar.

"Why? What changed you Leblanc? This should be a glorious day for all of Noxus!"

"I wasn't born in Noxus," Leblanc said as the three paced around each other. "The Black Rose is my country and I have no quarrel with the Demacian people."

"Gah!" Swain lunged, Leblanc skillfully dodged and mystical bindings shot out of the darkness; restraining his hands and a Sigil of Silence struck his body. "You'll have to do better than that!" He called and went after Leblanc.

Gaige had tried everything from technical knowhow to simply beating the control with a wrench, but nothing seemed to be working. "Demacia in: Three hundred kilometers." A timer spoke to Gaige. "Stop pressuring me!" She snapped at it.

Malzahar felt the wind whip through his hair as he exited the vehicle, when he stopped, the tank had already zipped past him and he flew to catch it again. Clueless as to how to stop it, he fired off bolts of energy into the hull with minimum effect, this would be a taller order than he thought.

Swain swung at her again, shredding her cape to pieces and roaring at her in his hideous form. She slapped her staff across his face, momentarily disorienting him and retreating back into the shadows.

"You cannot hide Leblanc!"

"Is this what your plans have fallen to? Insults and petty name calling?"

"I still have enough brain power to pummel you!" He saw Leblanc show herself in front of him, far too easy a target. "A mirror image," He chuckled and swung behind him as he had done previously, only this time, his hands slipped through the Leblanc on his back. "Then…" He put two and two together. "Damn…" She sent a sigil of silence, distortion and two binding chains upon him, essentially everything she had and heard the raven roar out in pain.

Malzahar could see Demacia behind him, the city gates quickly approaching and he had done little more than put a dent in this machine, even killing the pilots seemed to do little more than cause a disturbance. Then it hit that this machine ran off Void energy, an energy he himself could control. Summoning his power, he stood at the helm of the ship and began storing energy.

"Leblanc! This door is a dud, I'd need a mechanic's kit to fix it!"

"Then we better hope Malzahar has some idea on how to stop this behemoth."

Malzahar felt more energy come unto him, the explosion was beginning but he was quelling it. Fire broke out on the roof, energy of all kinds began flowing from the machine and into his body. The metal fell apart, steam outlet blew open, the machine was quickly falling to piece, but it still had energy to give so Malzahar made room to take it on.

"Malzahar!" Leblanc's voice came and Gaige followed her onto the roof. "What are you doing?!" She yelled over the exploding deck.

"You know…" Malzahar struggled with his words. "Saving Demacia…"

"Save yourself as well!" She cried out. "If I lose you a second time I'm not calling a necromancer!"

"I wouldn't want you…" A large wave of energy flowed into him. "Want you to, watch this…" He said with a drop of sweat and a smile. He aimed his body towards the sky and fired a shot powerful enough to wipe out a city twice Demacia's size into the sky, the energy proved to be difficult to control, but Malzahar stood his ground until the lights of the energy sent everything into a long lasting flash.

Jarvan IV opened the door to his favorite pub, exhausted and he felt defeated. All of Valoran felt a shock wave one week ago, on that same day, an enormous Noxian weapon crashed into his gates. The Demacian people were terrified, the scientists were analyzing the weapon day and night but luckily it seemed completely devoid of any danger, all it managed to do was shatter his wall. Swain released a statement saying it did not belong to Noxus, but everyone knew better, no one else could have thought up such an enormous weapon. He found a seat near the bar, the bartender cleaning a glass in front of him. Part of him was relieved this pub was still open, he had heard its original owner was killed by a mad man from the medical wards, but someone quickly bought it up and got it running the next day. "What can I get you?" The bartender asked. She was a pretty thing, short, dark hair and full eyes.

"Just a mug of ale," Jarvan said. "Oh, and a issue of the Demacian Report please."

"You got it, though I'm not sure why anyone reads those things…"

"It's informational," Jarvan laughed, the woman held a sweet voice, one that could make even the most loyal of guards turn a blind eye. She placed the mug and paper in front of him and turned to other customers.

Jarvan read the biggest story headline, "Quitting Their Teams?" He looked down the see a picture of several champions discussing with various officials in the League. "Leblanc, The Deceiver has recently announced that she is no longer representing Noxus with her prowess in battle, instead she says that she would prefer to fight for the Black Rose, as she was never truly born in Noxus and does not agree with her ideals. She will join champions such as Annie and Sivir, being champions for hire for which ever country will pay the most or further her personal goals. Malzahar, the Void Priest also mentioned that he was finished with representing the Void, stating that he "Desires a new destiny in life," and shall also be available for hire among the various city states." Jarvan placed the paper down with an odd mix of emotions, this was a failure of Noxus to hold on to their champions, but he thought he'd refrain from asking for Leblanc's help, she truly was unpredictable.

"Coming through!" A high pitched voice announced itself to Jarvan and he looked behind him to see a Yordle riding a keg of ale, running on top of it to keep it moving forward.

"Em!" The bartender snapped. "What did I tell you about that?" But the Yordle just kept rolling along into the back. "Huh…" She sighed and made her way back to Jarvan. "Can I refill that for you?"

"Oh, thank you." He moved the glass further to her and she filled it. "You bought this place pretty quick huh?"

"Yeah…" The bartender looked a little sullen. "It belonged to a close friend, me and Mal bought it pretty quickly after that, we hosted his funeral service, and just hope to keep his legacy alive with this place…"

"That's very noble of you, who is Mal?" Jarvan looked around the pub to no avail.

"He's my… A close friend, we'd be closer as soon as he grows the courage to ask me to be his bride." She laughed a little. "But, you're not here for my stories, I'll let you get back to your paper."

"Wait, madam, what is your name?" Jarvan called after her.

"Elsa,"

"Tell me about Mal," The Prince got cozy in his seat.

"Why? Don't you have better things to do?"

"Nothing comes above my people, everyone has a story and I hate the concept of being above simple conversation."

"Well… I met him a few years ago, didn't think much of him until about three weeks ago, he saved my life a few times, I saved his more, and… I can't imagine my life without him now…" She dreamily stared off into a corner. "Oh, there he is," Elsa instantly grew brighter at his arrival. "Mal!" She called to a muscular man, dressed for the cold outside, a scarf covering his face and hood cloaked the rest of him, but he responded to Elsa's calls. "Come meet out great King." Mal walked to the bar and extended his hand, still slightly cold from the wind outside.

"Your Highness," Mal bowed.

"Please, address me as any other man, hello sir." Mal rose from his bended knee. "I understand you have yet to make a woman out of the fine Elsa." And Elsa shyly looked down at the question.

"Nope," Mal answered cheerily. "Haven't found a ring that matches her beauty yet,"

"Ah, well, get on it quick son, women of this beauty are in short supply."

"As I am aware sir," Else effortlessly hoped over the bar and landed with her arms tucked around Mal's body. "But you cannot rush who you spend the rest of your life with."

"Agreed." Jarvan stood from his stool. "Now, I'm sure someone has ruined my recovery effort in the short time I have spent here, eternal happiness to you both."

"Come again!" The two waved to the Prince as he left. "Huh…" Elsa dropped her shoulders. "How the hell did Jacob do this all day by himself? I'm exhausted and all I've been doing in wearing a smile and filling mugs and you don't look half as tired as me!"

"Well, all I need is your beautiful face to keep me going," Mal got right in her face with his own and she could only smile as their noses touched.

"That was, possibly, the corniest thing you could have said, I know all you want is a kiss."

"Whether you know it or not is irrelevant, the important part is; can I have one?" Her smile grew even wider as she pulled his lips to meet her own and the two received a small applause from their drunken patrons. "See, you love me,"

"I know I love you, the question is why have you not taken my innocence yet,"

"Leblanc…" Mal said more serious than their previous flirting and they pulled their heads apart.

"I know, I know, you're still timid, and I promised I'd be patient." She took his hands in hers. "And I will never break a promise to you."

"I love you…"

"I love you too," She warmly replied and their heads rested on each other again.

"Will you two please get hitched already!" The little Yordle in their bar cheered.

"Shut up Gaige…" Leblanc laughed and remained against Malzahar's head, only able to smile.

"So life in the League continued," Gaige narrated. "Leblanc and Malzahar maintained minimum contact while at the Institute of War, but when they got leave, it was difficult to find them separated. Did they fight? Hell yeah, they're two of the most opinionated people in all of Valoran, did it ever last? Not really. Leblanc still found herself giggling when Malzahar struggled with being human, and Malzahar still caught himself lustfully staring over the woman who was already his. They were never a famous League couple, but that was probably the nicest thing about their relationship, no scribes or journalists, just love, and that was a rare gem in today's world."

"Gaige who are you talking to?"

"You're mom! Now get out of here you people, the rest of the story is their's to discover."

**One day I'll master endings... Anyway, there's that, again a really big thank you to ZocoLP, I really don't think I could've gotten this far without his constant praise and critiques. I'm currently working on an Annie and Amumu story, but I have some requests and a comical story in my head so stay tuned for those. Until next time, I'm Eros the Summoner, and goodnight. **


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